


Hot Night

by Titch360



Series: My Version of Events [65]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Coming of Age, F/M, Healing, High School Drama, Hurt, Pain, Surprises, the plans come together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-09
Updated: 2020-11-15
Packaged: 2021-03-09 10:27:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 65,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27469501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Titch360/pseuds/Titch360
Summary: Damian has been hinting about a major plan for a while now.  It's finally time to let it be known.  A surprise is in store for Robin.  A change is coming for everyone.  Is anyone ready for what's about to happen?
Series: My Version of Events [65]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1339429
Comments: 9
Kudos: 18





	1. Chapter 1

Hot Night

Chapter 1

_Ding-dong_.

_Ding-dong._

Lisa Abbey looked up from a pot of pasta on the stove as the doorbell rang for a second time. Shaking her head, Lisa called out, “Robin, can you get that?”

A soft call of, “I’m on the phone,” filtered down from the girl’s bedroom.

Lisa shook her head again, with a smile on her face, “Unless you want your dinner ruined, I can’t leave the kitchen. You’re on a mobile phone, so get your butt mobile and answer the door!”

Robin sighed into her phone as she dragged herself off her bed. “Sorry, Damian, I have to get the door.”

“That’s okay,” Damian said, “Take me with you. I want to see who it is, too.”

Robin smiled, “Did you want to get on Skype, so I can hold my laptop up to the door?”

“That’s okay,” Damian said with a chuckle.

“It’s probably Janelle,” Robin said, “she’s supposed to come over, so we can finish a project.”

Robin was descending the stairs as the doorbell rang again.

“Robin,” Lisa called from the kitchen.

Robin turned towards the kitchen and yelled, “I got it. Geez, Mom.”

Damian was cringing on the other end of the phone. “Think you can move the phone away from your mouth the next time you yell at your mother?”

Robin’s eyes widened, “Oh, I’m sorry, Damian. Whoever this is at the door is persistent.”

The doorbell rang again, and Robin rolled her eyes as she yanked the front door open.

“So, who is it,” Damian asked.

Robin couldn’t speak. She gasped in shock as she stared at her smirking boyfriend, standing on her front porch. Damian hung up his phone and put it in his pocket in time to catch Robin as she leapt at the younger teen and embraced him tightly.

“What are you doing here,” Robin whispered in Damian’s ear between kisses to his cheek and neck.

Damian leaned into the kisses, loving the feeling of holding Robin in his arms again, “Mmm, this was worth the flight. What do you mean, what am I doing here? As I understand it, we’re going to have a busy weekend.”

Robin rested her forehead against Damian’s, “But, it’s only Tuesday.”

“And what happens on Saturday,” Damian asked.

Robin was still in shock at Damian’s sudden appearance. It took her several seconds to think of the upcoming event. “What? You mean Prom? Damian, I told you I didn’t want to go. If I have to choose between seeing you for my Prom, or seeing you for my birthday, I would rather you be here for my birthday.”

Damian kissed Robin lightly and said softly, “That’s _not_ what you told me.”

“Yes, I did,” Robin said, nodding, “I told you I wanted you to come out for my birthday in three weeks.”

“But you _didn’t_ say you didn’t want to go to your Prom,” Damian said.

Robin thought about it and realized he was right. She did want to go to the dance, but she wasn’t going to go without her boyfriend.

Damian gave a soft smile, “What if you didn’t have to choose?”

Robin stared, thinking for a minute, “Your Dad is going to let you come back at the end of the month?”

Damian shook his head, his smile growing, “No.”

“Then…”

“We worked everything out,” Damian said softly, “I’m staying here for the next month.”

Robin’s jaw dropped, “We…we get to go to Prom…and…and y-you get to be here for my…my birthday?”

“Surprise,” Damian said with a large smile.

Robin took a step back in shock. Her mind, recently stalled in surprise, now shifted into high gear. “Damian, as much as I love your surprises, you don’t just spring a Prom on someone. This takes preparation. I mean, how are we going to be ready by Saturday? I need a new dress.”

Damian held up a finger, then picked up a garment bag he had hung from the porch light before ringing the bell. “I think this will look good on you. It should fit. If I don’t know your size by now, I’m just a terrible boyfriend.”

“Shoes,” Robin asked.

“In the bag,” Damian said, “If the dress or shoes don’t fit, there’s enough time to get it altered before Saturday.”

“What are you going to wear,” Robin asked, eyeing Damian.

Damian picked up a second garment bag, “A classic tuxedo. White Jacket. I heard the theme of the dance was Casablanca.”

“I’ll need to get my hair done.”

“Your Mother made you an appointment for Saturday morning,” Damian said, “Flowers will be delivered on Saturday morning, too.”

Robin’s eyes widened, “You went to all this trouble for nothing, Damian. We can’t go. I didn’t buy tickets. They stopped selling them weeks ago.”

Damian picked up his suitcase and walked into the house with Robin, then said, “Robin, do you honestly think I would fly clear across the country, buy you a dress, order flowers, and ask your Mother to make you a hair appointment, if we couldn’t use any of it for its intended purpose?”

Robin smirked, “Yes, I think you would.”

Damian gave a shocked look, which morphed into a smile, “Well, you’re right. That’s why I talked to your friends, to help me plan this out.”

“My friends kept this from me,” Robin asked. “Wait, how did you get their numbers?”

“I asked them to keep it from you,” Damian said, “I also asked Tim to hack your phone to find their numbers.”

“You did what,” Robin snapped.

Damian smirked, “Calm down, it’s a joke. Last time I was here, when we all met at the mall, you gave me their numbers in case we got separated. They were more than happy to help out with this surprise. When Janelle comes over to work on your project, she will also have our tickets. Father gave me a check to pay for them.”

Robin shook her head, “I can’t believe you. This is…amazing. I love you.”

Damian hugged Robin for several seconds, “I love you, too. How about this. How about I go say hi to your Mother while you go try on your dress. We can make sure it fits before Janelle gets here.”

“Sounds good, Lover,” Robin said softly, “but don’t keep me waiting too long.”

“You got it.”

Robin took one of the garment bags with her upstairs while Damian headed for the kitchen. He found Lisa Abbey leaning over the stove.

“Smells good, Mrs. Abbey.”

Lisa gasped and turned, “Damian, you’re here early.”

The woman walked over and hugged the teen. Damian returned the hug, “We caught a good tailwind. We got in just over two hours early. I took a cab from the airport.”

“I’ll have to call Mike and let him know,” Lisa said.

Damian nodded, “Please do. I don’t want him waiting at the airport for me if I’m already here.”

Lisa grabbed her phone and asked, “What did Robin think?”

“She hasn’t stopped smiling since she opened the front door,” Damian said, “She’s upstairs, trying on her dress.”

“Did you get the one I told you to get,” Lisa asked after hanging up with her husband.

Damian nodded, “Yes. Thank you for your help.”

“The blue or the green,” Lisa asked seriously.

“The green,” Damian said, “and, this time, it really does match her eyes.”

Robin’s voice called out from the hallway, “Hey, Damian? I don’t think this is going to work out.”

Damian looked at Lisa nervously before they both walked into the hallway. Lisa snorted a laugh and Damian rolled his eyes as they found Robin in the hall, wearing Damian’s tuxedo.

“Obviously, I handed you the wrong garment bag,” Damian said.

Lisa smiled, “I don’t know, I think it looks good. Damian, think you can fit in the dress? You two are just about the same size.”

Damian looked at Lisa over his shoulder, “While I probably would fit, I’m not going to wear a backless dress. You’ve seen my back.”

“What kind of dress _will_ you wear,” Robin asked with a smirk.

Damian just sighed, “Do you want to try your dress now?”

“I can’t wait,” Robin said.

Damian grabbed his suitcase and the other garment bag as Lisa asked, “Do I need to leave the house for a while, or will you two behave?”

Robin stopped and turned around, “We’ll be good. Janelle is on her way over to work on a school project, remember?”

Lisa nodded, “That’s right. Is she staying for dinner?”

“If that’s okay,” Robin said.

“It is,” Lisa said, “Dinner will be ready by the time your Dad gets home. I want to see the dress, once you get it on, though.”

“Okay, Mom,” Robin called as the couple climbed the stairs.

Robin took the second garment bag as Damian tried to find an out of the way place for his suitcase. He took his tuxedo as Robin took it off and hung it up, wondering how he was going to keep it wrinkle-free until Saturday.

He froze as Robin gasped. “What is it,” Damian asked, concerned.

“It’s gorgeous,” Robin said breathlessly, holding up the dress.

The jade green dress seemed to shimmer in the light, and Robin couldn’t get into it fast enough. With her back to Damian, Robin took off her bra and pulled the dress over her head, letting it flow down her body. The dress hung from one shoulder, hugged her waist tightly, and brushed the floor in the back. The hemline was cut at an upward angle, so the back of the dress brushed the floor, while the front stopped just above Robin’s ankles. As Damian had said, the dress was backless, but not low enough to be indecent.

Robin turned to look at Damian with wide eyes. The smile on the boy’s face told Robin everything she needed to know, but she had to see it, too.

Robin pushed Damian out of the way to get a look at herself in the mirror. “Oh my god, Damian,” Robin whispered, “It’s…perfect.”

“How does it feel,” Damian asked, rummaging through the garment bag, “Not too loose or too tight?”

“No,” Robin said, “It’s just right.”

“Can you move in it?”

Robin thought that was a strange question. “Yes. Why?”

Damian smiled, “Because we’re going to a dance. We’re going to be on the floor all night. Here, see if these fit.”

Robin took the shoes with a smirk, “Heels? You don’t mind me being taller than you?”

“I never have,” Damian said.

Robin slipped the low heels on and loved the entire look. The shoes added just enough height to keep the back of the dress from trailing on the ground.

“Oh, wow,” Robin said quietly.

“That’s my line,” Damian said, staring at the girl’s reflection in the mirror.

“I need to start thinking jewelry,” Robin said, “Gramma’s necklace would be good, but gold might not go with the dress.”

Damian quickly moved behind Robin and draped a necklace around her neck, “How about this one?”

The new necklace was a thin silver strand with a small diamond pendant, a near-perfect match to the necklace Robin’s grandmother had given the girl for her sixteenth birthday.

“Yes! Perfect,” Robin said, “Oh, Damian, you’ve made me so happy today. This is too much.”

Damian gave a small smile as he walked around in front of Robin, “I had to. This is the big surprise I told you I was working on a couple months ago. Surprising you by coming out for your Prom, then staying through your birthday, is, sort of, your birthday present. I had to do it up big.”

Robin wrapped her arms around Damian’s neck, “How do you always know what to get me?”

“One final touch,” Damian said as he slipped a silver bracelet on Robin’s left wrist.

“You got me a bracelet, too,” the girl asked in shock.

Damian gave a sheepish smile, “Well, yes and no. I did get this for you, but a couple years ago. I just pulled it out of your jewelry box.”

“Oh, right,” Robin said while blushing, “I have to show Mom.”

“Can you wait two minutes,” Damian asked as he kicked off his shoes and started unbuttoning his shirt.

Robin looked at Damian strangely, “What are you doing?”

Damian’s pants landed on his shirt on the floor. Just as quickly as he had stripped, Damian pulled his tuxedo on. It wasn’t as neat as it could have been, but this was just a trial run for Saturday.

“You did that awfully fast,” Robin said as Damian was tying his dress shoes.

“I was trained in quick changes,” Damian said, “Changing your look quickly can literally save your life.”

Damian pulled on his white jacket and the couple stared at their reflections in the mirror. Damian held Robin’s hand and said softly, “We’re going to look so good at your dance.”

“Too bad we can’t run for Prom Queen and King,” Robin said.

“Why not,” Damian asked.

“You aren’t a student at Lathrop High,” Robin said, “It’s only open to enrolled students.”

“That’s okay,” Damian said, “I don’t care about that. I just want to dance with you.”

“Let’s go show Mom. I think I’m going to have to teach you to dance before Saturday.”

The couple walked downstairs, and Damian said, “I know how to dance. You know that. How many times have we danced over the years?”

Robin smiled, “There probably won’t be any waltzes played on Saturday.”

“Well, Jason tried to teach me a few things, so if I do the exact opposite of everything he showed me, we should be okay.”

Robin looked over, “You trust your brother that little?”

Damian shook his head, “He likes messing with me that much.”

“I’ll still teach you a few things before we go to the dance,” Robin said as they entered the kitchen. Robin cleared her throat and said, “What do you think, Mom?”

Lisa turned around and gasped, and her hands rose to cover her mouth. It took a minute before Lisa could speak, “I think, if either of you moves before I get pictures, you’re going to be in big trouble.”

Lisa pulled her phone out of her purse and started posing the teens and snapping pictures. She finally sighed and said, “You two are going to be a hit. I’m glad you went with that one, Damian. It looks even better in person than in the pictures you sent me.”

Robin turned and looked at Damian, “How many people did you call in to set this up behind my back?”

“As many as I could,” Damian said sheepishly, “I wanted this to be done right, for you. If this is going to be your birthday present, it has to be perfect. I realized early on that I needed as much help as possible.”

“I can’t believe you did all this without me finding out.”

Damian smiled, “Do you like it?”

“I love it,” Robin said, giving Damian a short kiss.

“You two should change,” Lisa said, “so you won’t wrinkle your clothes.”

“That’s a good idea,” Damian said, “By the way, do you know the kind of looks a teenaged boy gets, walking into a dress shop and asking to buy a dress for someone roughly my own size? If I hadn’t brought so many pictures of you with me, I might have made the society page. Alfred got a good laugh at my expense that day.”

The doorbell rang as the couple approached the stairs.

“That’ll be Janelle,” Robin said, “Should we surprise her?”

Damian smirked, “That could be fun. Oh, Mrs. Abbey, could you send some of those pictures to Father?”

Lisa smiled, “I’ll do that right now.”

Robin opened the door as Damian stood off to the side, out of sight. Janelle obviously wasn’t paying attention as the door opened.

“Hey, Robin. Sorry I’m late. I had to go back home, and…that’s not what you were wearing to school.”

Robin smiled, “Nope. You know what this is, though.”

Janelle gasped, “Is that your Prom dress?”

“It is,” Robin said, twirling to show her friend the front and back.

Janelle’s eyes sparkled, “Oh, Robin. It’s gorgeous. You’re going to knock Damian’s…” Janelle gasped and swallowed hard, “I just ruined the surprise, didn’t I?”

Damian stepped up to Robin’s side with a smile, “No. I did.”

Janelle’s jaw dropped, “Holy…You know, I didn’t think the white jacket was a good choice, but now that I see it, and the two of you together, it’s perfect.”

“Give me some credit,” Damian said, “I do have some sense of style. For what I lack, we have a butler.”

Janelle walked into the house and asked, “How long have you been here, Damian? Robin didn’t say anything at school.”

Damian thought for a second, then shrugged, “My plane landed maybe two hours ago. We got in early. I explained the surprise when I got here, and Robin tried on her dress, to make sure it fits.”

“So, why did you try on your tux,” Janelle asked, “Didn’t you already know that it fit?”

Damian gave a soft smile, “Well, Robin tried it on first.”

“Why,” Janelle asked, confused.

“Because he handed me the wrong garment bag,” Robin said.

Robin and Janelle laughed as they headed for the stairs.

“We need to change, then we can get started on our project,” Robin said.

Janelle was confused when Damian followed the girls into Robin’s bedroom, “Damian, she needs to change.”

“So do I,” Damian said.

Janelle leaned forward and hissed, “Her Mom is right downstairs.”

Damian shrugged, “I know.”

“You’re not worried about her catching you in here?”

Damian pointed to his suitcase, in the corner of the bedroom, “This is where I’m sleeping for the next few weeks. Robin’s parents don’t care that I’m in here. I’ll go change in the bathroom; I just need to grab my clothes.”

Damian picked up his pile of clothes and the hangers for his tuxedo, then walked across the hall to the bathroom.

Janelle shook her head, “I keep forgetting that you two are pretty much married.”

Robin slipped out of her dress and back into her day clothes, “I think he does, too, but in the opposite.”

“What do you mean,” Janelle asked.

Robin smiled, “He doesn’t see anything wrong in acting like we’re already married. I don’t see anything wrong with it, either, but people have strange reactions to it.”

“Like I did,” Janelle said.

“Believe me,” Robin said, “If my parents didn’t love him as much as they do, things would be very different.”

“How so,” Janelle asked.

Robin gave a smile, “He wouldn’t be staying here for almost a month, for one. He definitely wouldn’t be staying in my bedroom, either.”

The girls giggled for a second before Damian came back into the bedroom. Robin watched Damian hang his garment bag in her closet and asked, “Damian, why didn’t you just change in here?”

Damian turned and took the garment bag that Robin held out to him. Janelle didn’t catch it, but the look he shot Robin spoke volumes. _You know the answer to that,_ Damian thought. _I’m not ready to explain my scars to your friends. It’s enough that your friends know I have my scars; your friends don’t need to see them._ “Do you want your friend to see that?”

Robin knew Damian was talking about his back, not the rest of his body.

Janelle had no idea about the non-verbal exchange that just happened in front of her, and smiled as she asked, “What am I going to see that I didn’t see in that picture?”

Damian’s expression changed, and his eyes widened, “You showed her the picture?”

“You said I could,” Robin replied innocently.

Damian’s eyes narrowed, “Which picture did you show her? I remember you taking four.”

Robin rolled her eyes, “The one you approved. I wasn’t going to show her the really good one.”

Janelle looked like she had been given the winning lottery numbers. “Wait. You have _better_ pictures than the one you showed us?”

Robin pulled out her phone and showed Janelle a picture, and the girl gasped, glancing back and forth between the phone and the boy.

Damian’s eyes widened, and his voice rose precipitously as he asked, “Which one is that?”

“Relax, Damian,” Robin said, turning her phone to show Damian a picture of him sitting in bed, with just a sheet covering his lower body, “I’m not going to show anyone the other one.”

Janelle eyed Damian and said, “Now I’m really curious.”

“Well, you’re not going to see it,” Robin said, “Damian’s fifteen, so it’s technically illegal to have that picture, and I don’t want you looking at me naked any more than Damian wants you looking at him naked.”

Janelle looked close to swooning as she whispered, “Wow. You have naked pictures of each other? How did you get him to pose for that?”

Robin shook her head, “He took them.”

Damian shrugged, “I like it. It doesn’t really show my scars.”

“That one on your chest is sexy,” Janelle said, before slapping a hand over her mouth.

Damian just sighed, “The rest aren’t, and that’s why I changed in the bathroom. By the way, I think I broke your bathroom. I hung my suit up on the hook on the back of the door, and the hook fell off.”

Robin smiled and shook her head, knowing Damian only mentioned that to get Janelle’s mind off of his body, “Don’t worry about it. It’s done that since we moved in. Dad never remembers to fix it. You didn’t break anything.”

Damian nodded, and Janelle asked, “Should we get started, so we can finish before I have to go home?”

“Sure,” Robin said, “I already cleared it with Mom for you to stay for dinner.”

“What about,” Janelle asked, hitching her head towards Damian.

“What about me,” Damian asked, “Robin and I have an agreement. For now, school comes first. There’s plenty of time for us once your work is done. Do either of you care if I take a nap? I’ve been awake for a long time. It’s a long flight out here.”

“We’re going to turn on some music while we work,” Robin said, “That won’t bother you, will it?”

“Real music, or that pop crap you tend to like,” Damian asked.

Robin smiled widely, “That pop crap I tend to like.”

Damian climbed under the sheets of Robin’s bed, “That’s fine, just keep the volume a little lower, please. You should really play some classical music; it’ll help you concentrate. Wake me up for dinner.”

Janelle was amazed that Damian was asleep before the girls could start to get their books out.

_That Night…_

“Are you sure you don’t want to mess around?”

Robin lay cocooned in Damian’s arms, enjoying the small kisses Damian occasionally planted on her cheek, neck, and shoulder.

His breath tickled her ear as he whispered, “I’m still tired from my flight, and you have school in the morning. Anyway, while you were saying goodbye to Janelle, your Father gave me some inside information. Tomorrow, he and your Mother won’t be home from work until after six. If I remember correctly, you will be home before three. We have all sorts of time tomorrow afternoon.”

Robin smiled, then asked, “Will you be over your jetlag by then?”

“Absolutely,” Damian replied.

“What are you going to do while I’m at school?”

“Go to school,” Damian said. “I brought my laptop, so I can look into what classes I need to register for, when I go back to school. I’m going to see if I can get into a summer class, but I think I missed the enrollment deadline. Summer session starts right around the time I’m supposed to be getting home.”

Robin sighed happily, “I’m so glad you’re going back to school. You’re so close to finishing, it would be a shame to drop out now.”

“Yeah,” Damian said in a yawn, “Unfortunately, with when the classes I need are offered, dropping this semester has put me a year behind.”

Yawning, Robin said, “You’ll make it up.”

“Did you and Janelle finish your project?”

“We did,” Robin said, picking up one of Damian’s hands and kissing his palm. “She was right, you know. That scar is sexy.”

Damian rolled his eyes, thinking _it looked much better before Mother hacked it open and mutilated it_. “I’m going to be the topic of conversation tomorrow at lunch, aren’t I?”

Robin shrugged lightly, not wanting to move enough for Damian to let her go, “I think the existence of new, previously unknown, and far more intimate, pictures, will be a long conversation, too.”

Damian sighed and growled. Robin froze, “I won’t show them the picture, I swear.”

“It’s not that,” Damian said, “I just remembered that I forgot to pay Janelle for the Prom tickets. Ask her how much we owe her and text me tomorrow. I’ll have the check waiting when you get home.”

Robin relaxed, “Oh, okay. I thought you were mad over the picture.”

Damian smiled into Robin’s hair, “How can I be mad when we look so good?”

Robin yawned, causing Damian to yawn, “Let’s get some sleep.”

“Sounds good,” Damian said, “Good night, Beautiful.”

“I love you, Lover. This is the best surprise ever.”

_The Next Afternoon (Wednesday)…_

Robin brushed hair out of her eyes, then glanced over at the clock on her nightstand.

“It’s four-forty-five, Damian.”

“I know,” the boy said breathlessly as he kissed Robin’s stomach, “We have almost an hour and a half until your parents get home.”

“But I told Connie to be here at five,” the girl said.

Damian flicked the tip of his tongue in Robin’s belly button and asked, “Now, why would you do that?”

“Because we have finals coming up…Don’t do that, that tickles!”

Damian smiled as Robin squirmed sensually under his light touch. Robin continued, “We have a project to finish.”

“So do I,” Damian said as he slowly kissed around Robin’s belly button, “I told you I was going to kiss every inch of your body. I haven’t even gotten to your waist yet.”

“Yeah, but…”

Damian moved, so he was sitting between Robin’s legs. His fingertips brushed her thighs gently as he whispered, “Don’t you _want_ me to get to your waist?”

Robin’s mouth and eyes widened as Damian began applying soft kisses to her skin again. “Oh! Oooooooooh! I’ll…I’ll text Connie to come at five-thirty, instead.”

_5:25 PM…_

“Wow. Where did you learn how to do that,” Robin gasped as she lay ensconced in Damian’s arms.

She couldn’t see Damian’s face, but the blush on his cheeks was evident in his voice, “Um, Jason bought me a book as a joke. _Kama Sutra for Dummies_. Um…was it good?”

“How many times did you read that book,” Robin teased, “It was great.”

Damian spoke quietly, “I get lonely, being four thousand miles away from you. I…I think about you a lot, and…”

Damian trailed off in embarrassment. Robin turned over in Damian’s arms and kissed him lightly, “I miss you, too. A lot. I, um, find ways to think about you, too. You aren’t the only one who has done some studying.”

Damian gave a smirk, “Is that where you learned that little trick you used to wake me up this morning?”

Robin smiled, “There’s nothing wrong with learning something new.”

Damian matched the smile, “Well, if there was a test, I think you’d pass, with your new knowledge.”

Robin rolled her eyes, “Thank you for not making the stupid ‘oral exam’ joke.”

“I think we’re above that,” Damian said, trying not to laugh at the thought that was passing through his teenaged mind, “I love you, Beautiful.”

Damian kissed Robin’s neck, and she moaned lightly in pleasure, “MMM. I love you too, Lover. I wish we had time to shower before Connie gets here.”

“Do you think she’ll be on time,” Damian asked.

“This is Connie,” Robin said, “I’m sure she was sitting in her car out front at four-forty-five, when I texted her not to come over until five-thirty.”

Damian sighed as he stood and pulled on a pair of pants, “Too bad, a shower sounds really good right now. I’ll open the window. Not that she won’t know what we were doing, but at least the room doesn’t have to smell like it.”

“Can you wait until I get my shirt on,” Robin asked as she fastened her bra. “As much as I hate to say this, you need to put a shirt on, too.”

Damian pulled a t-shirt over his head, then headed for the window. A fresh breeze entered the bedroom, and Robin took a deep breath.

“In the bathroom, under the sink, is a spray bottle of Febreeze.” The doorbell rang as Robin buttoned a pair of shorts, “Give the room a good spray while I get the door.”

“What do you need for your project,” Damian asked, “Maybe you two should work in the dining room, instead of up here.”

Robin shrugged, “Probably not a bad idea. My backpack and my laptop. Thanks.”

Damian walked to the bathroom while Robin trotted down the stairs and answered the door.

“Hi, Connie.”

“Hey, Robin,” the girl said with a smile, “Are you okay?”

“I’m great,” Robin said with a smile, “Come in.”

Connie entered the Abbey home and said, “I don’t think we have much left to finish this project.”

“No,” Robin agreed, “We should be able to get it done before too long. Are you going to stay for dinner?”

Connie shook her head, “No, Mom wants me home for dinner. Where should we…oh!”

Robin turned at Connie’s exclamation and saw Damian walking down the stairs, carrying the girl’s backpack and laptop.

“That’s right, you did tell us that Damian is in town,” Connie said.

Damian gave a small smile, “Hi, Connie.”

“Hi.” Connie looked back and forth between Robin and Damian, “Well, you don’t have to explain why you wanted me to come over later. It’s pretty obvious, now.”

“Why do you say that,” Damian asked as he put Robin’s laptop and backpack on the dining table.

Connie blushed a bit, “Um…your t-shirt is on backwards…and inside out.”

Damian’s eyes widened a bit as he reached up and felt the tag of his shirt under his chin, instead of behind his neck. Both girls smiled at his reaction as they sat down at the table.

“Damn,” Damian mumbled as he pulled his shirt off, turned it the right way, and pulled it back on.

Damian sat down next to Robin, and Connie stared, slack-jawed. Damian looked confused at the reaction. He leaned over to Robin and asked softly, “Is she alright?”

“You didn’t have to take your shirt off right here, you know.”

Damian glanced at Connie, who was still staring at Damian’s covered chest, “Yeah, that probably wasn’t a good idea. Connie? Hello?”

Connie blinked a couple times, trying to preserve the memory in her mind, “No, taking your shirt off was a great idea. That was better than the picture you showed us, Robin. I understand why you wanted me to come over later, now.”

Damian eyed Connie, “Don’t you have a boyfriend? I don’t understand why all of Robin’s friends are so interested in me.”

“Because you’re the only one of our boyfriends that we don’t see on a regular basis,” Connie said, “And, my boyfriend isn’t as…muscle-y as you. How did you get that scar on your chest?”

“Connie,” Robin exclaimed.

“It’s okay, Robin,” Damian said as he told his cover story, “I had an accident when I was ten. I was riding a dirt bike and hit a tree. They had to do surgery to repair some ribs, and a collapsed lung.”

“Wow,” Connie said, “That must have hurt.”

Damian shrugged, “I don’t really remember it. I remember riding, then waking up in the hospital.”

“When did you get into town, Damian,” Connie asked.

“Yesterday afternoon.”

“You should come to school with Robin tomorrow.”

Damian thought about a recent assignment at another school and grimaced, “No, thank you. I already did my time. Anyway, don’t you think the teachers will notice a new student, who isn’t on their rosters?”

Connie shrugged, “Some of them might. Most of our classes are so big, you could probably just blend in.”

“What _are_ you doing tomorrow,” Robin asked.

Damian looked at Robin with a smile, “I’m going to work with your Father.”

“What did you do today,” Connie asked, “other than Robin, I mean.”

Damian and Robin both blushed furiously at the comment, “I slept off my jet lag. After Robin went to school, I went back to bed and slept until one. It was worth it.”

“Should we get started,” Robin asked.

“Yeah,” Connie said.

Both girls pulled out textbooks and notes. Damian asked, “Yesterday was your English project. What are you working on today?”

“Economics,” Connie said.

“Sounds interesting,” Damian said, “What do you have to do?”

“At the beginning of the semester, we had to pick three stocks,” Robin said, “We’ve been watching them for the whole semester. We have to analyze their performance and see how much money we would have made or lost if we invested one thousand dollars at the beginning of the semester.”

Damian thought for a second, “That actually does sound interesting. What stocks did you pick?”

“The family business, of course,” Robin said with a smirk.

Damian cocked his head, “I didn’t know Abbey Oil was a publicly traded company.”

Robin shook her head, “Okay, the _extended_ family business.”

“What,” Damian asked, “Wayne Enterprises?”

“It’s been our best performing stock,” Connie said.

Damian smiled, “Father said we had a good quarter. What else did you choose?”

“Apple and General Electric,” Robin said, “Hey, maybe we can get extra credit if we bring you in to present our project? You know, since it will be your company one day.”

“You’ll probably lose points for suspicion of insider information,” Damian said. “What else do you have left to do?”

“Really, just to make all of our information look pretty for our Powerpoint presentation,” Robin said as she brought up the program on her laptop. “Want to help?”

“Help with what?”

“You keep saying you’re an artist,” Robin said with a mischievous wink, “but I don’t think I’ve seen you draw anything for a couple years.”

“What did you see him draw last time,” Connie asked.

“Um,” Robin blushed as she remembered, and she was now wishing she hadn’t brought up the topic.

Damian grew a smirk at Robin’s reaction and said, “Her.”

Connie looked confused at Robin’s reaction. Robin sighed and said, “You remember that my favorite movie is Titanic, right?”

Connie thought for a second before her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. “Oh my god. You two did _that?_ ”

Damian and Robin nodded. Damian smirked happily while nodding, while Robin glanced at her friend in embarrassment.

Damian looked over at Robin, “Was that really the last time I drew something for you?”

Connie wasn’t looking at her friend. She was staring at the table and thinking out loud, “Do you still have the drawing?”

“Yes,” Robin said, “and you can’t see it.”

“Why not,” Damian asked, “I want to see it again, too.”

“You can see it,” Robin said, “but…”

Damian sighed, “But Connie hasn’t seen you naked before, and you don’t want that getting out. I suppose it’s like me and those pictures we took.”

“I don’t tend to hang around with _my_ friends naked,” Robin said, “A swimsuit is as close as we’ll get.”

Damian glanced at Connie, then said to Robin, “Don’t say it like that. She’s going to get the wrong idea about what I do when I’m with my friends, if you leave it at that.”

Connie and Robin both laughed at the inference she hadn’t meant to make.

“Okay, how do we want to do this,” Robin asked.

Connie pulled a notebook out of her backpack, “We should organize it by least to most growth. That way, when we’re presenting it to the class, it looks like our stocks weren’t too good. Then, we hit them with our big one at the end. I think we’re going to be up there with the top performers in the class.”

Robin smiled, “I like that idea. So, that puts GE first, Apple second, and Wayne Enterprises third.”

“None of your classmates will have ever heard of Wayne Enterprises before,” Damian said, “How will you explain knowing about the company?”

Robin shrugged, “I’ll just tell the truth. It’s a Gotham company, and I’m originally from Gotham. My grandmother worked there for a while. And, I’ll eventually marry the future CEO.”

Connie giggled, “You can put the picture in the Powerpoint, to show how you know him.”

“Don’t you dare,” Damian exclaimed.

Robin winked at Damian before saying cryptically, “What are you going to do to stop me?”

Damian leaned closer, “I’m going to remind you that putting pornography into a school project will probably cause you to fail, and will lead to an uncomfortable conversation between you, your parents, and the school’s principal.”

“You’re probably right,” Robin said.

Damian smirked, and he rubbed Robin’s thigh under the table, “And, if that doesn’t work, we’ll just have to think of something else.”

Robin blushed, and Connie asked, “Can we just get this done, before you plan anything else?”

_The Next Day (Thursday)…_

“Well, I’m sure it’s not as flashy as Bruce’s office, but here we are.”

Damian walked into Mike Abbey’s office at Abbey Oil and looked around as the man headed for his desk. Mike was right, the office wasn’t flashy. It was maybe a third of the size of Bruce’s office at Wayne Enterprises. It was comfortably furnished, if utilitarian, with a desk, a couple chairs, and an old couch in the corner. If Damian had to guess, he would say that it was more the office of a construction foreman, not a multi-millionaire industrialist.

Damian sat down in a chair and said, “No, it’s not flashy, but how flashy does it have to be? It’s an office. It’s meant for work.”

Mike smiled as he logged into his computer, “You constantly surprise me, Damian. You didn’t get the silver spoon treatment, did you.”

Damian looked down for a second, “I grew up in the lap of luxury, but the only thing my mother used the silver spoon for was to beat me. I had everything I could need, except people who cared for me. I’m glad I’m getting that now.”

“I’m glad we can help you with that, Damian,” Mike said. “Will you be okay? I have to get on a call.”

Damian looked up, “I’m fine. Don’t let me stop you or get in your way.”

Mike logged into his computer, then looked at Damian, “Why did you want to come to work with me today? I’m sure you could have found something more interesting to do. Won’t you be bored here while I work?”

“I brought my laptop,” Damian said, “You don’t need to entertain me. I’ve never seen your business before. I thought this could be a good learning opportunity.”

“As long as you’ll be okay,” Mike said.

Damian gave a small smile, “Get to work, Mr. Abbey.”

Mike smiled as he picked up his phone.

_Later…_

Mike sighed as he stood up from his desk, “Okay. That’s enough for now. You ready for lunch, Damian?”

Damian looked up from his laptop and pulled the earbuds out of his ears, “Did you say something, Mr. Abbey?”

Mike smiled at the teen and said, “I said, it’s lunch time.”

Damian nodded as he stood up, “That sounds good to me. Will Mrs. Abbey be joining us?”

Mike’s office door opened, and Lisa walked in. “What’s taking you two so long? I told you to be ready ten minutes ago.”

Mike kissed his wife, then said, “My meeting ran long. We’re ready now, though.”

Lisa gave Damian a small hug, then asked, “Are you keeping him on track today?”

Damian smirked up at his girlfriend’s parents, “No, it’s corporate sabotage today. I’ve prepared your IPO, but I’ve also funneled all of the shares into one of Father’s dummy accounts. By the time the Markets open on Tuesday, I’ll own your company.”

Mike laughed as he patted Damian’s shoulder, “Great. That means you can take over, after we’re bought out by Wayne Enterprises. Maybe this means I can relax in my retirement. Or, are you planning a penny-on-the-dollar buyout?”

Damian shrugged as the trio headed out to Mike’s car, “I was thinking more along the lines of a hostile takeover. It’s what I do best, after all.”

Lisa looked at Mike and asked, “Why do I suddenly think he’s not joking?”

Mike winked at Lisa, “He’s been working on his laptop all morning. It wouldn’t surprise me if he wasn’t joking. What have you been doing all day, Damian?”

Damian took a seat in the back of the car and said, “I’ve been planning my last year of college. It’s going to be a heavy workload, but this time next year, I’ll be just about ready to graduate.”

Lisa gasped with a smile, “Congratulations, Damian. What do you have to do to graduate?”

Damian took a breath, “I changed my major in January. I was an Engineering major with a Business minor. I switched those around. I’m now a Business major with an Engineering minor. The good news is that, in changing emphasis, I’ve completed everything I need to do for my minor. I’ve been taking business classes already, so I have about thirty units to complete. It’ll be a lot of work, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.”

“When would you have graduated, if you didn’t take this semester off,” Lisa asked.

“I would probably have been able to graduate after the fall semester,” Damian said, “I don’t think I would have been able to graduate after the summer session.”

“That’s good to hear,” Mike said, “What are you going to do after graduation? Bruce won’t hire you until you’re eighteen, right?”

Damian released a breath, “I haven’t really thought about it. I’ll have to get a job somewhere. Maybe I should take over your company, after all.”

Mike chuckled, “You probably could, if you put your mind to it.”

Mike parked outside of a restaurant, and the trio walked in and were seated. After ordering, Lisa asked, “Are you and Robin all ready for Prom?”

Damian nodded, “I think we’re ready. Robin and I are going to the Mall after she gets out of school tomorrow, to make sure we have everything we need.”

“How are you getting to the dance,” Mike asked. “Did you reserve a limo, or are you going with Robin’s friends?”

Damian’s eyes widened, “What?”

“I asked, how are you getting to the dance,” Mike said.

“I heard you,” Damian said, blinking blankly, “I…I didn’t even think of that. I don’t have a plan.”

Lisa smiled, “That’s okay. It’s not like you’ve ever done this before.”

“How is this okay,” Damian asked, “We don’t have a way to get to the Prom.”

“Relax, Damian,” Mike said, “I’m sure Robin will have no problem driving.”

“You planned everything else,” Lisa said, “I know she will like being able to offer something to the preparations.”

Damian sighed, “How could I have forgotten something that important? You’re right, I’ve never had to plan something like this before. I really thought I had done everything.”

Mike reached over and patted Damian’s shoulder, “Don’t worry about it. If you had taken care of everything, I’d start thinking you were too good to be true.”

“I was engineered to be perfect,” Damian grumbled.

“You weren’t engineered to be a social being,” Mike said, “You were bred to do a job, not live a normal life. It’s okay if you don’t know all these things.”

Damian looked up at Robin’s parents, “I guess this is what I get for trying to do everything on my own.”

“You didn’t do it all on your own,” Lisa said, “You asked for help. Would you have been able to get Robin the right dress if you didn’t ask me about it?”

Damian gave a silent chuckle, “No, I wouldn’t.”

The trio ate their lunch. On the way back to the office, Damian said, “I’ll have to call Tim and let him know of this oversight.”

“Did he help you out, too,” Lisa asked.

Damian nodded, “Yes, he did. He made it sound like we had covered everything.”

The trio arrived back at Abbey Oil’s main headquarters to return to work. Damian stayed in the lobby outside of Mike’s office as he pulled out his cell phone and dialed Tim’s contact number.

“Good timing, Damian,” Tim said when he answered the phone, “I just got out of my last meeting for the day.”

“Good,” Damian said, “that means you have a few minutes.”

“I do,” Tim said, “What’s up?”

Damian got down to business, “We went over our Prom plans. You told me we had everything accounted for.”

“Uh-oh,” Tim said, “I know that tone of voice. What did we forget?”

Damian sighed, “Well, we got the tickets, my tuxedo, Robin’s dress, shoes, and jewelry, the flowers, Robin’s hair and make-up appointment, our dinner reservation, and our after-Prom plan. We didn’t make any arrangements for transportation.”

Tim gasped, and Damian could imagine the older man’s eyes widening, “Oh. Yeah, you probably need that. I’m sorry, Damian. I thought we had everything.”

“So did I,” Damian said.

“In my defense,” Tim said, “I didn’t go to my Prom. In fact, you are probably the first Wayne to go to a school dance since Bruce’s Dad.” Tim knew that Dick had gone to a dance while in school, but he knew better than to mention that around Damian right now.

Damian released a breath, “At least we discovered this oversight today, instead of on Saturday.”

“What are you going to do,” Tim asked, “It’s too late to hire a limo, at this point.”

Damian was at a loss, “I’ll talk to Robin about it after school. Mr. Abbey suggested that she drive us to the dance.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that,” Tim said, “It will probably make her feel like she’s contributing to the plans. When did you talk to Mr. Abbey about this?”

“Just a little bit ago,” Damian said, “I went to work with Mr. Abbey today, while Robin is at school. It’s only one-thirty here, Tim. We were talking about the Prom plans while we had lunch. That’s when I realized we missed transportation arrangements.”

Damian could tell that Tim was smiling when he said, “You’re allowed to be human, Damian. You don’t have to have an answer for everything.”

“I wanted this to be perfect, for Robin,” Damian grumbled.

“And it will be,” Tim said, “She wasn’t expecting to go to her Prom. Just showing up there had to make her incredibly happy. She wants to spend time with you. No matter what else might go wrong, it will still be perfect, because you spent months planning something incredibly special for her. She sees that, I guarantee it.”

Damian took a breath, “I really thought we had thought of everything.”

“You thought of a lot,” Tim said, “It will all work out. Have fun, okay? Let us know how it goes.”

Damian nodded, “Okay, Tim. Thanks.”

“I’ll talk to you later,” Tim said before hanging up.

Damian put his phone back in his pocket before walking back into Mr. Abbey’s office.

Mike looked up and smiled at the boy, “Get everything figured out?”

Damian shrugged as he sat down on the other side of the desk, “For now. I’ll ask Robin if she’s okay driving us to the dance tonight. That’s about all we can do, at this point.”

“I’m sure she won’t have a problem with it,” Mike said, “No one really thought about how to get to the dance when you were making plans?”

Damian looked up, “Apparently, I’m the first person from my family to go to a school dance since Father’s…since my grandfather. I guess none of us really know what we’re doing.”

Mike nodded, “What do you have planned for the afternoon?”

Damian released a slow breath, “I don’t know. I did what I planned this morning. I didn’t think planning out my last year of college would be so easy, but I got it done.”

“Well, I have to inspect a section of the pipeline,” Mike said, “Want to get out into the oilfield? It’s all private property out there.”

Damian cocked his head, “Why would that matter?”

Mike winked at the teen conspiratorially, “We can take the old work truck. We won’t be on public roads. You can drive, if you feel up to it.”

Damian’s eyes brightened at the suggestion, “If you’re trying to become my favorite parent, your plan is working.”

Mike stood up and patted Damian’s shoulder, “I always wanted a son. Come on, let’s go.”

_That Evening…_

Robin smiled brightly as her parents brought Damian home from work. She had been home for several hours, and missed her boyfriend. Planning ahead, she had finished her homework as soon as she got home, to have more time to spend with Damian.

Robin kissed the teen boy as he walked in the front door, then sputtered, “You’re all dusty.”

Damian gave an easy smile, “Your Father put me to work this afternoon.”

Robin sighed, “I’m sorry you had to do that.”

Damian shrugged, “I’m not. It was fun. I’d never done anything like that before.”

Lisa called from the kitchen, “Dinner will be in an hour, if you want to get cleaned up, boys.”

Mike headed for the stairs and said, “That’s not a bad idea. Damian, you might want to wash the oilfield off of you.”

Damian nodded, “Yes, I do.”

Damian followed Mike upstairs, and split off to Robin’s room to get clean clothes before heading across the hall to the shower. Robin had followed Damian upstairs. She waited until her parent’s bedroom door closed, then followed Damian into the shower.

Damian had just turned on the water when the hallway door opened and closed quickly. Damian turned in shock, only to relax when he saw it was Robin.

Robin whispered in Damian’s ear as she pulled her clothes off, “Don’t get my hair wet, don’t make any noise, and keep it to a normal shower length, and my parents will never know.”

Damian smirked as he stepped into the shower, “Someone’s feeling frisky today.”

“You looked really happy when you got home,” Robin said, “I like seeing that.”

“Today was fun,” Damian said, washing Robin’s shoulders, “More fun than I thought it would be. It also allowed me to find something we need to discuss.”

Robin’s hands froze on Damian’s chest, and she looked into his eyes nervously, “Why don’t I like the sound of that?”

Damian shook his head, “It’s nothing serious. Just something I overlooked. Now that I’m aware of it, we can fix it easily. We should hurry up, if we’re going to keep this at a normal shower length. No fooling around.”

Robin batted her eyelashes at Damian, “ _No_ fooling around?”

Damian smiled as he leaned in to kiss Robin, “Don’t start anything we can’t finish before we get caught. Wasn’t the whole idea of this that your parents not find out?”

Robin turned Damian around and washed his back, “We’ll continue this tonight.”

_After Dinner…_

Robin sat snuggled tightly under Damian’s arm as the couple sat on the couch in the rear bonus room. Mike and Lisa were cleaning up after the meal, but had told the teens to go and relax, and that they would take care of the dinner clean-up tonight.

“So, what did you do at work today,” Robin asked with a light giggle.

“I plotted out my last year of college,” Damian said, “It’s going to be hard work, but I’ll be done a year from now.”

Robin gasped, “Damian, that’s great. I’m so proud of you for wanting to go back and finish up. With what happened in January, and who your Dad is, you could easily have just given up.”

Damian smirked, “When have I ever given up on anything?”

“Not since I’ve known you,” Robin said. “What else did you do? I know Dad’s office isn’t the cleanest place in the world, but something else must have happened to be as dirty as you were.”

Damian nodded, “I did the college planning in the morning. After lunch, your Father took me out into the field, to inspect the pipeline.”

“That would explain it,” Robin said, “Was that the part of the day that had you smiling when you got home?”

“Yeah,” Damian said softly, “It was really interesting. We had to climb up on the pipes and make sure they weren’t going to leak. The pipeline is a lot bigger than I thought it would be. I could almost stand up inside the pipe.”

Robin looked up, “You went _inside_ the pipe?”

“We did,” Damian said, “Your Father has this automatic welding machine that travels inside the pipe to do the welding. It checks the work on its own, but safety guidelines require a visual inspection. Your Father showed me how to do that.”

Robin grew a gentle smile, “I can’t remember the last time you sounded like this. You’re not just happy, you’re excited. It’s nice to hear that you can sound like a normal kid every so often.”

Damian sighed, “I guess I am excited. It was fun, and I liked spending time with your Father. He did say he’s always wanted a son. I…I think I did that for him today.”

Robin wrapped her arms tightly around Damian’s chest and kissed his cheek, “Thank you for doing that.”

The couple fell silent for a minute before Robin asked, “What did you find that we needed to talk about. Earlier you said you found something we need to discuss.”

Damian’s happy look soured, “Right. I guess this is as good a time to bring it up as any. In planning for the Prom, I thought I covered everything we needed. Turns out, due to not knowing the right questions to ask, I forgot something pretty big.”

“What is it,” Robin asked.

Damian looked down in shame, “I didn’t plan our transportation to and from the dance.”

“That’s it,” Robin blurted out, “That’s the big issue that had me worried all through dinner?”

“It _is_ a big issue,” Damian said, “I started planning for this in February. I had three months to prepare everything. I wanted everything to be perfect for your surprise. Now, it turns out that I planned for a dance without planning how to get there.”

“Okay, it is an issue,” Robin said, “but it’s not something we can’t overcome. How about I drive?”

Damian took a breath, “I didn’t want you to have to do that, but I don’t see any other option.”

“It’s not a bad option,” Robin said, “It will actually work out better for us. I’ll drive us. That way we’ll have a car with us, in case we need to go somewhere, or want to leave early, or need a private place for a break. This might work out better for us than if we hired a limo.”

Damian looked into Robin’s eyes, “You’re really okay with this?”

Robin nodded, “I am. Now it feels like I’m actually doing something to help out. Don’t get me wrong, I love you for planning everything out and setting up this wonderful surprise, but I want to help out, too.”

Damian gave a small nod, “Okay. We can work with that. Thank you for not being mad.”

Robin looked up with a smile, “Why would I be mad? It’s not like you’ve ever done this before. It’s okay to ask for help.”

Damian sighed, “That’s the thing. I did ask for help. No one even mentioned getting to the dance until I talked to your Father today. Father didn’t mention it, my brothers didn’t mention it, your friends didn’t mention it, your parents didn’t mention it. I never even considered it, until today.”

“Could be worse,” Robin said, “We could have thought about this on Saturday.”

Damian took a deep breath, “I don’t even want to consider that.”

“Then don’t, because it isn’t a problem anymore,” Robin said, “What are you doing tomorrow?”

Damian shook his head, “No plans. I’m just waiting for you to get home from school.”

Robin smiled, “Good. Be ready to go as soon as I get home.”

“Where are we going,” Damian asked.

“The mall,” Robin said.

“Right,” Damian said, “You said you wanted to pick up a few things for the dance. I’ll be ready.”

“Good,” Robin said, snuggling tighter under Damian’s arm and laying her head on his shoulder.

_Friday Afternoon…_

“So, what did you need to pick up?”

Damian and Robin walked into the Fairbanks Mall, and Damian wondered what else he had forgotten in his preparations for the dance tomorrow.

“Actually,” Robin said, “I think we’re good to go.”

“We are,” Damian asked.

Robin nodded, “We are.”

“Then, why did you want to come here,” Damian asked in confusion.

Robin smiled as she entwined her hand in his, “It’s called a date, Lover. I wanted some time alone with you, out of the house. I already told Mom not to expect us home for dinner.”

Damian grew a small smile, “I wish you’d told me this was a date. I would have cleaned up a little.”

“You look fine, Lover,” Robin said.

“You look even better,” Damian whispered in Robin’s ear before kissing her cheek.

The couple walked past a small arcade near the entrance of the mall, and Robin’s eyes widened. “Oh! I forgot about that. I’ve always wanted to try that.”

“Try what,” Damian asked as Robin pulled him towards a photo booth. “A photo booth?”

“Yeah,” Robin said, “This is a special one.”

Damian read the side of the booth, “What will your kids look like? Use our face blending technology to see what your future kids will look like.”

“Connie and her boyfriend Jake did one a couple months ago,” Robin said, “It…well, it didn’t look good, but it was good for a laugh. Please, Damian? Can we do it?”

Damian smiled, “Why are you begging?”

“Because you haven’t said anything,” Robin said.

“I’m just reading the information,” Damian said, “Don’t you want to find out what our kids are going to look like the old fashioned way?”

Robin rolled her eyes, “Of course, I do. Don’t you want a sneak peek, though?”

“I wasn’t going to say no, Beautiful,” Damian said, “Let’s do it.”

Robin pulled Damian into the booth before he changed his mind. He wasn’t going to change his mind, but Robin didn’t want to take any chances.

“Okay, we can choose from newborn, toddler, or child,” Robin said, “Which one do you want to do?”

“You said you’ve wanted to try this for a while, right,” Damian asked, “Why don’t we do all three?”

Damian fed some money into the slot and selected the option to take all three pictures. They both sat still as the booth took their pictures. Robin’s and Damian’s faces showed up on two screens. The booth then played a cheesy sound effect before a picture of a newborn was displayed on a third screen, between the first two screens.

Like Damian thought, it wasn’t the best picture, but it wasn’t as bad as he was fearing. A baby boy was shown with dark brown hair, light brown eyes, and chubby cheeks. The picture baby had very light skin, even lighter than Robin’s, which Damian thought was strange, if it was supposed to be a combination of both of them. Damian’s dusky tone was nowhere to be found in this image.

“Aww, isn’t he cute,” Robin said.

“Yeah, he is,” Damian said, pressing the button to print out the picture.

They went through the same procedure for the second picture. The toddler looked very close to the newborn picture. The skin tone was a perfect match for Robin, but the face was a little more angular, like Damian’s. The same dark brown hair and light brown eyes were present.

“I like that one,” Damian said.

“I know,” Robin said, “This is turning out better than I thought.”

The third picture, displaying a boy of roughly five years, was a perfect half and half blend of Robin and Damian. The skin tone looked like Robin with a tan. The haircut was Damian’s current style exactly, while being just a bit lighter than the dark brown of the last two pictures. The eyes were hazel this time, leaning closer to Robin’s green than Damian’s blue. The eye shape was a little more almond shaped, leaning closer to Damian’s eye shape. The smile was Robin’s exactly, easy and natural for the face, with a pointed chin that was, again, halfway between Damian’s and Robin’s.

The couple both reached for the print button at the same time. They were both amazed at how good the picture looked.

Damian and Robin left the photo booth, and neither of them were able to take their eyes off of the picture.

“That is amazing,” Robin said softly, “That looks way better than the one Connie and Jake did. It’s better than the other two pictures we did, too.”

“I want that,” Damian said.

Robin looked up and said, “Well, okay. I guess.”

Robin started to hand the picture to Damian. Damian shook his head and said, “No, I don’t want the picture.” Damian pointed at the face in the picture, “I want that. I want him. If that’s what our kids are going to look like, I can’t wait until we can have the real thing.”

Robin smiled and hugged Damian, “We’ve talked about kids before, but you’ve never said anything like that before.”

“I didn’t know what they could look like before,” Damian said.

“We’re going to have the best kids,” Robin said, “They’re going to grow up happy, and we’re going to love them so much.”

“Let’s hope they act more like you than me,” Damian said, allowing himself to imagine a future as a father for the first time.

Robin glanced at Damian’s face with a smirk, “I feel sorry for the first person to pick on your kid. They have no idea what sort of protective daddy you’re going to be.”

Damian gave a small cringe, “Yeah, that’s going to happen. No one mistreats Batman’s kids without serious consequences.”

“I don’t want to think about that part right now,” Robin said, “You don’t have to be Batman, you know.”

Damian was fairly sure he knew what his future held in that area, but he didn’t want to upset Robin, so he just nodded and held her hand as they walked further into the mall.

The couple walked around for close to an hour, looking in different stores and kiosks. They didn’t buy anything, but enjoyed spending time with each other. If Damian had been able to see the security camera footage, he wouldn’t have recognized himself. Damian wore a natural smile that rarely ever found its way onto his face at home. He was completely relaxed as he walked around the mall with Robin, looking for all the world like the normal teenager his family had tried for years to encourage him to become.

Walking into the food court, Damian turned to Robin and said, “I’ll be back. I need to use the restroom.”

Robin kissed Damian’s cheek with a smile and said, “I’ll be waiting.”

Damian walked away and Robin bought a couple cookies and drinks from Mrs. Fields. She sat at a table, waiting for Damian, when a voice caught her ear.

“Hey, Robin.”

Robin looked up, surprised at being addressed. “Kyle? Hi.”

The teen smiled, “Here alone, Robin? We can’t have that.”

Robin looked around as Kyle slid into the seat opposite of her, and gave a warning, “My boyfriend will be right back. He just went to the restroom.”

“Is this the same boyfriend that no one has ever seen before,” Kyle asked, “How many times do I have to ask you out before you say yes, Robin? I’ve only been asking for two years.”

Robin shook her head, “I’ve told you for two years, Kyle. I’m very happy with my boyfriend. You’re a nice guy, but I’m taken.”

Kyle leaned forward, “Come on. Just one date. Let me take you to Prom. It’s our Senior Prom.”

“That’s why my boyfriend is here,” Robin said, “He came in from out of state just to take me to the Prom. He’s also the jealous type. I might not be able to stop him, if he sees you sitting here and gets the wrong idea.”

“Stop him from doing what,” Kyle asked.

“I’d rather not find out,” Robin said darkly.

Kyle looked down, “I’ve had a crush on you ever since you started at Lathrop High. Would one measly date kill you?”

Robin shook her head, “Kyle, _stop_. I’ve met the man I’m going to marry, once we’re old enough. Please, don’t do this.”

Kyle sighed, “So, that’s a no to Prom?”

Robin snorted a soft laugh, “Yes, that’s a no.”

Kyle shook his head, “I had to try. Didn’t think you’d turn me down. Last time I heard you talking, you weren’t going to Prom.”

“My boyfriend surprised me with this,” Robin said, “He’s been working behind my back with my parents and friends since February to set this up.”

Kyle lifted his arms in a shrug, “Well, guess I’ve made enough of a fool of myself…”

Kyle trailed off as his upraised arm was grabbed. Robin’s hands rose to her face in fear as she said in a near shout, “Damian, DON’T!”

Kyle looked up to find Damian’s eyes blazing, and was shook at the sight.

“Just what do you think you’re doing,” Damian growled dangerously.

“Damian, stop,” Robin said again, “This is Kyle. He’s a friend from school. He just stopped to say hello.”

Damian let go of the teen’s arm, but his look didn’t change, “If he’s just saying hello, why did that include asking you out on a date?”

Robin rolled her eyes, “I said no. I’ve always said no. I thought we were working on you not being jealous?”

Damian glanced at Robin, “ _Always_ said no? _This_ is the guy who’s been bugging you since you moved here?”

Robin sighed, trying to work through Damian’s mood to try to de-escalate the situation. “He’s a nice guy, Damian. He’s never done anything more than ask. Kyle, this is my boyfriend, Damian.”

Kyle eyed the younger teen before standing. He stood nearly a head taller than Damian. “Have I been bugging you, Robin?”

Robin shrugged, “Well, a bit. You don’t take no for an answer.”

“Is that so,” Damian asked angrily.

Kyle looked back at Robin, “You should have told me to go away, then.”

“I did,” Robin said, “You keep coming back.”

This wasn’t helping to calm Damian’s mood down any.

Kyle shrugged, “It’s just…you’re so beautiful. I was hoping I had a shot. No one at school believes you actually have a boyfriend. I had no proof until today. You’ve never shown anyone pictures of the two of you together, and he doesn’t go to our school.”

Robin stood, purposely placing herself between Damian and Kyle, “I moved here from across the country, for my Dad’s work. Damian still lives back in Gotham City, our hometown. I’ve shown a few people pictures of me and Damian. You didn’t need any more proof than my word that I have a boyfriend. No means no, Kyle. I’m sorry, but I met and fell in love with Damian long before I could even find Fairbanks on a map. You never had a shot.”

Kyle tried giving a hopeful look, “Not even with his attitude just now?”

Robin took a patient breath, “Being apart for as long as we are, living across the country from each other, has led both of us to be jealous and territorial. I would feel the same way if I saw him sitting with another girl after I came back from the restroom.” Robin turned to Damian and said, “It’s just a misunderstanding, Damian.”

Damian took a breath, “Very well. Kyle, was it?”

Kyle nodded, “Yeah.”

“I apologize for overreacting,” Damian said, “Ever since Robin moved to Alaska, we only get to see each other a handful of days a year. I don’t like to share.”

Kyle gave a small smirk, “I understand. Sorry to have bothered you two.”

Kyle walked away, and Robin turned a glare on Damian, “Just what the hell were you going to do with that?”

Damian folded the blade back into the handle of his pocket knife, which he had drawn without Kyle seeing when the other teen stood up. “I saw a strange person sitting at the table with you, and overheard him pressuring you to go out with him. You know that I am a protector. You also know that you are at the top of my list of people to protect. He wasn’t going to get away with anything.”

“No, he wasn’t,” Robin said, “I’ve dealt with him for years. I didn’t need you stabbing him. That’s why I stepped in front of you. Can you just calm down, now?”

Damian took a breath and looked down. “I’m sorry,” Damian said wetly, “I know you have a life here, and I don’t want to interfere with that, but…I feel like I don’t have a part in it. Seeing things like this just reminds me of how easy it could be for me to be left behind.”

Robin forced Damian to sit down at the table, and sat next to him, “You think I don’t feel the same way when I think about you, living back in Gotham, and I’m not there?”

“It just scares me, Robin,” Damian said softly, “I don’t know what I would do without you.”

“You don’t have to worry about that,” Robin said, “I’ve never wanted anyone but you. Kyle is a nice guy, but even if you and I weren’t dating, I still wouldn’t date him.”

Damian glanced to the side at Robin, “Why not?”

“There’s something about him,” Robin said, “He asked me out the first time we met, on my very first day of school at Lathrop High. He seems a little needy and desperate.”

“I don’t seem needy and desperate,” Damian asked, “After what I just did?”

Robin smiled, “Needy, yes. You’re a little desperate, too, but it’s a different kind of desperate.”

Damian gave a small nod, “Yes. I know what I have, and I’m desperate not to lose it. I know how lucky I am to have you. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry,” Robin said, “I’m desperate not to lose you, too.”

“You won’t lose me,” Damian said. The pair fell silent for a minute, before Damian broke the silence, “Kyle left his drink here.”

Robin smiled, “That’s yours. I got us a little snack while I was waiting for you to get back. Try the cookie. It’s not as good as Mr. Alfred’s chocolate chip cookies, but it’s pretty good.”

Damian took a small bite of the cookie and swallowed before leaning his head over to rest against Robin’s.

“Better now,” Robin asked.

Damian shook his head, shaking Robin’s head with the movement, “No. How many years have I been in therapy now? How much have you worked with me? Why can’t I act like a normal person? Why do I have to see threats everywhere? This shouldn’t have happened.”

“You explained your behavior,” Robin said.

“That doesn’t mean you should excuse it,” Damian said, “If that Kyle wasn’t as understanding as he was, and he pushed the wrong button, I would have used that knife. That shouldn’t be my go-to reaction to new situations.”

“No, it shouldn’t,” Robin agreed, “but you’re working on it.”

“When am I going to stop working on it and start living it,” Damian asked.

“Eat your cookie,” Robin said, “Take your time. By the time you’re done, you’ll have relaxed.”

Damian took another bite, then asked, “Isn’t that a scene from The Matrix.”

“Could be,” Robin said, taking a sip of her drink, “It’s working, though, isn’t it?”

As much as he didn’t believe it would, eating the cookie was actually helping. Damian finished his cookie, then took a sip of his drink, then asked, “What did they put in the cookie?”

Robin smiled, “I told you that you’d feel better. There was nothing in the cookie. Distraction works.”

Damian sighed, “It never worked before.”

Robin wiped a crumb from Damian’s cheek, “That’s because I wasn’t the one distracting you before. You listen to me. Ready to get going?”

“Going where,” Damian asked.

Robin shrugged, “Just going. We can walk around and look at the shops. I know you. Movement helps you process your thoughts.”

Damian nodded, “If you’re ready, we can go.”

Robin intertwined her arm with Damian’s as the teens walked out of the food court. They walked slowly around the second floor, not really looking at anything. Robin was watching Damian as he seemed to be caught up in his own thoughts.

A cell phone started ringing, breaking Damian out of his head. “Is that mine or yours?”

Robin checked her purse and said, “Mine. I’ll keep it short.”

Robin answered her phone, but the ringing didn’t stop. Damian pulled his phone from his pocket and answered the call from his Father.

“Hello, Father.”

“Damian, what’s wrong?”

_That’s an interesting reason to call me._ “Is that what you really called me for, Father?”

Bruce released a breath, “No, but you don’t usually sound like that when you’re with Robin. You sound like something’s wrong. Oh! I’m sorry. Did I interrupt something…personal?”

Damian grew a half-smirk, “We are out on a date, but you didn’t interrupt anything. She got a call at the same time that you called. I have a couple minutes. What’s going on, Father?”

Bruce’s voice grew warmer, “I just wanted to check how you’re doing. Tomorrow is the big day. I’m sure you’re nervous for that. I just wanted to see if you needed to talk.”

“I’m doing okay,” Damian said, “Well, maybe just a little less than okay. She just had to stop me from stabbing a student from her school.”

“Are you at her school,” Bruce asked, confused.

“We’re at the mall,” Damian said, “She ran into a classmate who has had a crush on her for a long time. He tried asking her to go to the Prom with him.”

Bruce’s eyes widened, “With you standing right there? That guy’s brave.”

Damian shook his head, “I wasn’t there. I had gone to the restroom, and found them together when I got back. If he didn’t back off the way he did, and if Robin didn’t get between us, who knows what would have happened.”

“What else happened,” Bruce asked.

“That’s it,” Damian said, “It just bothers me that I’m always on the defensive, and am very quick to go on the offensive. I don’t like that I can’t relax the way everyone wants me to relax. One of these days, I’m not going to be able to be calmed down, and that scares me.”

Bruce took a long breath, “You’re aware of what’s happening.”

“Not in the moment, I’m not,” Damian interrupted, “I react without thinking. That’s how I was trained. I was trained to see a situation, act, and not worry about consequences. I can’t do that anymore, Father.”

“You know what you need to work on,” Bruce said, “Robin will help you, and if she’s not around, there’s no reason you can’t think of her and what she would tell you. You also can’t be so hard on yourself. That’s part of relaxing, too. Take a breath, remember where you are and why you’re there. You’re going to have fun tomorrow, and you’re going to make Robin happy by taking her to the Prom she wasn’t expecting to go to.”

Damian took a deep breath, “Yes, Father. Despite my personality, I’m actually looking forward to the dance.”

“Good,” Bruce said, “Tim told me about your transportation issue. Did you two think of anything else you might have forgotten?”

“We couldn’t come up with anything,” Damian said, “We spent hours going over everything yesterday after Robin got home from school. I had to spoil the rest of her surprises for tomorrow, but at least we couldn’t think of anything missing.”

Bruce sounded confused when he asked, “What other surprises did you have?”

“I hadn’t told her that I got us a reservation at her favorite restaurant for dinner before the dance,” Damian said, “Or that we are meeting her friends after the Prom for a party. Now that she’s driving us to all these places, she needed to know where we are going.”

“She needs to be involved in tomorrow too, Kiddo,” Bruce said, “I know you wanted everything to be perfect for her. I think you’ve done enough for now. Now, it’s time to enjoy the fruits of your labor.”

Damian nodded, “I plan on it, Father. Is there anything else?”

Bruce shook his head, “No, Kiddo. Give me a call this weekend, though. Let me know how everything went. Selina wants to see some pictures, too.”

Damian’s eyes narrowed, “I don’t think that’s a good idea. She might get the idea that we are on good terms.”

Bruce sighed, “She’s trying, Damian. What happened with you two? You were doing okay for a day or two, then it seemed like everything fell apart. What happened?”

“She thought, since we had one good conversation, that it was okay to start acting like she knew me,” Damian grumbled, “She tried getting a little too familiar without realizing that she still hasn’t earned my trust. She touched me, Father.”

Bruce tried not to let his eye roll show up in his voice, “She patted you on the back when saying hello.”

“She still has a long way to go before I’m comfortable around her,” Damian said.

“What’s it going to take, Damian,” Bruce asked, “Tell me how to make this better.”

Damian shook his head, “I wish I could, Father. I don’t like how I feel around her. It’s like…my skin is crawling when she’s around me. I don’t know why, and I wish I could describe it better. I don’t like to be pushed, Father, you know that. She is pushing. She’s trying to move too fast.”

“So, you don’t want me to show her your Prom pictures,” Bruce asked, “Lisa said she would send me some tomorrow after you leave for the dance. Selina’s interested in you, even if you aren’t interested in her.”

“What you do when I’m not around really isn’t something I can control,” Damian said.

Bruce sighed heavily, “Just give me a straight answer, Damian. Yes or no. Are you going to view it as some breach of trust if I show her a picture of you and Robin in your Prom clothes?”

“She hasn’t been informed about Robin yet,” Damian said.

“She has,” Bruce said, “What was I supposed to tell her when she asked where you went for a month? She knows you have a girlfriend who lives in Alaska, who is named Robin. She knows you two are very happy. Talking about Robin would give you two something to talk about. Just mentioning Robin helps to calm you. Maybe talking about her with Selina will allow you to get through a conversation successfully.”

The line fell silent for half a minute before Damian said, “I’ll think about it. Yes, it’s okay to show her a picture. It is not okay to give her copies. Just…don’t tell me about it later. Make sure she doesn’t tell me about it later, either. I…I don’t want to talk about this, Father. Not now.”

Bruce sighed again, “Okay, Kiddo. We don’t have to talk about this now. You and I _will_ sit down and have a serious conversation about her when you get home, though. For now, though, just relax and have fun. I love you, son. Call me this weekend.”

Damian sighed, “I love you too, Father. I’ll call you sometime Sunday.”

Damian turned to find Robin still on the phone after hanging up from his call. Robin smiled at Damian and held up a finger. Speaking to her phone, Robin said, “Okay, great. That sounds good. We’ll see you there in half an hour. Bye.”

Robin hung up her phone and said, “That was Michelle. She’s here with Janelle, picking up a few last things to be ready for Prom. We’re going to meet them for dinner at the Olive Garden in half an hour. Is that okay?”

Damian gave a small half-smile and said, “That’s fine.”

“What plans did you have,” Robin asked, “You don’t sound fine.”

Damian pulled Robin into a hug and rested his chin on her shoulder while leaning his head against hers, “My mood has nothing to do with the plans. I haven’t had Italian food in a while, and I have no problems having dinner with your friends.”

“Then, what’s wrong,” Robin asked softly.

“That was Father on the phone,” Damian said, “He just wanted to check on me. It wasn’t the reason for his call, but we ended up talking about Miss Kyle. He wants to show her the pictures your Mom is going to send him.”

“Why don’t you want that,” Robin asked, “I mean, I understand that you still don’t like her, but it’s just a picture.”

“I still don’t know how I feel about her,” Damian said, “I just…I’m not comfortable around her. I can’t read her as well as I should be able to. Every time I try, her past is the only thing that comes to mind, and all the times she’s hurt Father.”

Robin tightened the hug for a second before asking, “Does she know that’s what is bothering you? Does she even know that you know what she did in the past?”

“She knows,” Damian said, “She knows that I know. I don’t think she knows that it bothers me. I wasn’t even alive when most of what she did happened. It’s ancient history to her. I can’t bring it up, though. Every time we get close to something like that in a conversation, I just…I have to leave, before I snap. I’m trying not to do that, Robin. It’s making things worse between us, though.”

“It’ll take time, Lover,” Robin said, “You’ve only known her for about a month. I know that it takes you longer than that to feel comfortable. You don’t have to think about her for the rest of the month, so get her out of your mind. You have much better things to think about right now.”

Damian pulled his head back and smiled at Robin, “I do. You need to be foremost in my mind, and you’re my favorite thing to think about.”

Robin gave Damian a short kiss before saying, “Let’s head to the restaurant and put our name in for a table. This is Friday night. They are probably pretty busy.”

“That’s a good idea,” Damian said, taking hold of Robin’s hand, “Um, I have no idea where the restaurant is. Why don’t you lead the way?”

_Saturday…_

Damian was confused. He had slept so soundly that it took him a minute to recognize his surroundings. He was laying in Robin’s bed, late morning sunlight was filtering in around the blinds, and he was alone. The last part was what was confusing to Damian.

Pulling on a t-shirt, Damian walked downstairs in his boxers. The house was quiet, and Damian was starting to wonder if he was the only one at home.

Damian walked into the dining room and found Mike Abbey sitting at the table, reading the newspaper. “Good morning, Father.”

Mike put the paper down and stared at Damian with wide eyes, “Father?”

Damian’s eyes widened as he realized what he said, “Mr. Abbey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to call you that. I was a little confused when I woke up, and I usually find Father sitting at the dining table reading the paper in the mornings. It just slipped out.”

Mike smiled, “It’s okay, Damian. I think of you as a son, every now and then. There’s nothing wrong with family. I told you the other day that I always wanted a son.”

Damian gave a warm smile as he sat down, “Thanks. So, where is everyone?”

“Lisa took Robin to get her hair done,” Mike said, “Robin asked me to let you sleep for as long as possible. She said she knows how you get when you get tired, and you two are going to be out very late tonight.”

Damian nodded, “I know how I get, too. I was planning on taking a nap this afternoon.”

Mike eyed the teen, “You look upset, Damian. What’s going on?”

Damian shook his head, “I’m not upset. I’m nervous. I’ve been planning tonight for three months, and now it’s here. I just want everything to go well, for Robin. She deserves a perfect Prom.”

“Even if nothing goes right,” Mike said, “Robin will still love every part of tonight, because you put an amazing amount of thought and work and effort into the plan. Try to relax, Damian. What else do you need to do?”

“What time is it,” Damian asked.

Mike checked his watch, then said, “Eleven-fifteen.”

Damian nodded, calculating plans in his head, “Did the flowers get delivered yet?”

“Not yet,” Mike said, shaking his head.

Damian frowned, “They were supposed to be here by eleven.”

The doorbell rang, and Damian released a breath, “That must be them.”

Damian rose to answer the door, but Mike cut him off, “Why don’t I get that, while you put on some pants?”

Damian looked down at his white t-shirt and boxers and blushed a bit, “Oh, right. I’ll…I’ll go get dressed.”

Mike walked to the door as Damian headed upstairs. Mike didn’t open the door until the teen was out of sight, and took delivery of a corsage, a boutonniere, and a dozen long-stem roses.

Damian returned to the dining room, where Mike had taken the flowers, and smiled at what he saw as he inspected the delivery.

“I don’t think you quite get Prom flowers, Damian,” Mike said.

Damian looked up in concern, “What’s wrong with them? Alfred said these would be good to match her dress and my tuxedo.”

“Why the roses,” Mike asked.

Damian smiled, “Robin likes roses. I can’t order flowers and not get her some.”

Mike nodded, “You don’t have to win her over, Damian. You did that a long time ago.”

“Who said I was trying to win her over,” Damian asked, “I truly love her; this is just a little way of showing it.”

“I’ll put these in the refrigerator, to keep them fresh,” Mike said, picking up the flowers for the dance, “What else do you have to do?”

“I wanted to iron my pants and shine my shoes,” Damian said.

“How about some breakfast first,” Mike asked.

“That’s not a bad idea,” Damian said, walking into the kitchen.

Mike turned to look at Damian, “You still look nervous. How about some toast? Something easy on your stomach. Don’t want you throwing up.”

Damian nodded, then looked down, “Thanks for taking care of me, Mr. Abbey.”

“I’ve seen how you take care of Robin,” Mike said, “It’s the least I can do.”

Mike ended up making Damian a fried egg sandwich, which hit the spot, and allowed Damian to believe that he would make it to their early dinner without needing to eat again in between. Mike showed Damian where the iron and starch were after the short meal. Instead of going straight to it, Damian pulled out his phone and called his father.

“Hello, Father.”

“This is a surprise,” Bruce said, “I didn’t expect to hear from you until tomorrow. What’s going on?”

Damian lay down on Robin’s bed and said, “I wanted to apologize for yesterday. Mr. Abbey helped me realize how on-edge I am right now, and I figured I owed you an apology from our conversation yesterday.”

“You really don’t, Kiddo,” Bruce said, “I know that you’re trying. You’ve actually been talking to Selina, which I didn’t expect. Even if the conversations don’t end well, you’re still having them. I’m glad that you’re trying, and not just ignoring her.”

“That would be the easy thing to do,” Damian said.

“It would,” Bruce said, “How is the final countdown going? You ready for tonight?”

Damian took a breath, “The flowers were just delivered. Robin is out getting her hair done. Once we’re done here, I’m going to iron my pants and shine my shoes. I think we’re just at the point of having to get there.”

“Relax, Kiddo,” Bruce said, “I can feel your nerves from here. It will all go great. You two are going to have so much fun tonight, that you’ll wish you had gone to your own Prom. I’m not even going to wish you luck, because you don’t need it. You planned for everything, and now you’ll get to enjoy your plans.”

Damian rolled his eyes, “We already found out this week that I didn’t plan for everything. If that didn’t happen, I wouldn’t be feeling so nervous now. I’m just waiting for something to go wrong.”

“If that’s all you’re looking for, then something will go wrong,” Bruce said, “Look on the bright side. You get to spend a special evening with Robin, where all you have to do is dance with her. You love dancing with Robin. You get to focus all your attention on her, which is your favorite thing to do.”

Damian took his first easy breath of the day, and said, “Thanks, Dad. I needed that. Is Tim around?”

“I think so,” Bruce said, “He said something about having dinner with Gina tonight, but I think she’s coming over here for dinner.”

“Really,” Damian asked flatly, “Tonight, of all nights, he’s going to have dinner with Robin’s sister?”

“Why should you have all the fun,” Bruce asked, “Did you want him for something?”

“No,” Damian said, shaking his head, “Just wanted to double-check to see if he had thought of anything I forgot.”

_I think you just want to hear your brother’s voice,_ Bruce thought. _Tim is good at helping you calm down._ “He’s right here, if you want to talk to him.”

“Well, if he’s there,” Damian said.

_I thought so._ “Here he is.”

Bruce handed his phone to Tim, who said, “Hello, Little Brother. Ready for a fun night?”

Damian took a breath, “Yeah, we’re getting there.”

Tim nodded, “Relax and breathe. It’s okay to be nervous, but don’t let it interfere with your night. You’re ready for this.”

Damian was silent for half a minute. Tim could tell that he was still there, and this was just a telephonic version of their brotherly bond. Damian and Tim didn’t need to talk; they were comfortable around each other.

Damian finally released a breath and said softly, “Thanks, Tim.”

“You’ll be fine,” Tim said, “Get some rest before the dance. It’s going to be a long night.”

“I will,” Damian said, “I’ve got a couple things to do, then I’m going to take a nap. I’ll be good to go after that.”

“Have fun,” Tim said, “Call us tomorrow. Bye, D.”

The call ended, and Damian took his pants and shirt down to the laundry room. He gave them a careful once-over, hoping he remembered all the steps to a perfectly ironed dress shirt that Alfred had taught him. Once that was done, he sat down and started work on his shoes. They were perfectly acceptable as they were now. Alfred had polished them to a high shine before Damian left home. There was really nothing he needed to do, except keep his hands busy to take his mind off of his nerves.

He finished one shoe before a voice interrupted his thoughts. “There you are. I was wondering what you’d do to pass the time while I was gone.”

“Just had a few things to touch up before…” Damian finally looked up at Robin and dropped his shoe. His jaw fell as he forgot how to speak. Damian slowly stood up as his jaw fell in shock. “Oh, my…”

Robin became instantly self-conscious at Damian’s reaction, “What? What is it? What’s wrong?”

Damian shook his head slowly, “I’ve never seen you with your hair curled before. It’s…it’s great. You…you’re gorgeous.”

Robin’s long blonde hair had been given loose curls, and was pulled away from her face. With the style, her hair was now hanging just past her shoulders, instead of past her shoulder blades, where it normally hung when it was straight.

Robin grew a smile, “You like it? They did my makeup, too. You really like it? Mom thought this style would suit the dress.”

Damian blinked a couple times, trying to start his mind again. Once it was going again, Damian took a step forward and gently held both of Robin’s hands, “I didn’t know what to expect when your Mom said you would get your hair done before the dance. This is so much better than I thought it would be. Wow, now I wish I looked better. I think I’m the pity date now.”

Robin gave Damian a soft kiss, trying not to smudge her makeup, “The only pity here is us, pitying everyone else at the dance tonight, for not looking as good as we do. Is there anything I can help you with? Are you ready to get ready?”

“I will be, once I’m done touching up this shoe,” Damian said, “We’ve got a few hours before we have to get ready, though, right?”

“We do,” Robin said, “How long do you need?”

“Just a couple minutes,” Damian said, “Why?”

“Hurry up and get it done,” Robin said, “When you’re done, meet me in the bonus room, for our most important preparation.”

Robin left the laundry room before Damian could ask any questions. Instead, he got back to work. After finishing shining his shoes and returning his clothes to Robin’s room, Damian walked into the bonus room at the rear of the house to find Robin sitting on the end of the couch.

Robin patted the couch next to her and said, “Lay down. Our most important preparation is making sure you’re well rested before the dance. This is going to be a long night, and you’re going to be out of your element for most of it. I want you in the best mood possible. It’s time for you to rest.”

Damian laid down on the couch, with his head resting on Robin’s leg. He looked up at the girl of his dreams and asked, “What about you? You should get some rest, too.”

Robin ran her fingers through Damian’s hair, knowing that helped relax him, “I can’t lay down without messing up my hair. Tonight won’t be nearly as hard for me as it will be for you. These are my friends and my school. I’m not the new person here. Anyway, it’s not the first time I’ve slept sitting up. I can rest while you rest.”

Damian gave a soft smile as he closed his eyes, “I had been planning on taking a nap before we got ready.”

“Mom will wake us up in two hours,” Robin said, “That will give us plenty of time to get ready, make our photo appointment at the school, and get to the restaurant for our reservation. After that, the night is ours. We don’t have to keep a schedule after that.”

Lisa walked by the bonus room and found the kids sitting and laying on the couch. She lowered the lights in the room, which was met with a silent smile from her daughter. Her future son-in-law didn’t react. He was already asleep.

A little over two hours later, Lisa was having a hard time keeping her promise. Robin and Damian were both asleep on the couch, and parental sentiment was trying to allow her to let the kids sleep peacefully for as long as they could.

After another minute, Lisa approached the couch and whispered in Robin’s ear, “It’s time, Honey.”

Robin’s eyes flickered open, and she looked around the bonus room. She smiled as she looked down to find Damian’s head still in her lap. “Thanks, Mom.”

Lisa left the room, and Robin brushed Damian’s cheek with her thumb. Damian’s eyes snapped open at the light touch, and he yawned widely before saying, “Is it time?”

Robin nodded, “Yep. Time to get ready. What do you have to do?”

“I was going to shower and shave, then get dressed,” Damian said, “Do you need the bathroom first?”

Robin shook her head, “I can wait. I just need to make sure my makeup is still good, and do a final check of my hair. I can do what I need to do while you’re in the shower, so don’t lock the bathroom door while you’re in there. Mom and Dad promised to stay downstairs while we’re getting ready, so we can have the whole second floor, if we need it.”

Damian smiled, “I can’t wait. Should we go?”

The teens walked upstairs, passing Robin’s parents in the front sitting room on their way. Mike walked to the door and watched the couple climb the stairs, then sat back down.

“I’ll be quick,” Damian said as he headed for the bathroom, “I’m used to getting ready fast.”

Robin walked to her room and began getting ready. Trusting her parents, she didn’t close her bedroom door as she pulled her dress out of the closet. Lisa had gone over the dress the day before to make sure it wasn’t wrinkled or dirty. She had also made sure that Robin’s shoes weren’t scuffed or smudged.

After a couple minutes of going through her jewelry box to find the perfect combination for the night, Robin walked across the hall to the bathroom. The shower had already gone on and off, and she could hear Damian’s electric razor through the door.

Damian looked over as the door opened and closed, and Robin entered the bathroom wearing a bathrobe. Damian only wore a pair of black boxer briefs as he looked back at the mirror and continued shaving.

“I’ll be done in a minute,” Damian said.

Robin nodded as she walked behind Damian and reached around to rub his chest. “Take your time,” she said softly.

Damian leaned closer to the mirror, inspecting his cheeks and neck for any stray hairs. He put his razor down and turned in Robin’s arms. He wrapped his arms around Robin and asked, “Did I miss anything?”

“Doesn’t look like it,” Robin whispered.

The pair stood holding each other for a long minute before Damian sighed and said, “We don’t have the time for me to hold you as long as I’d like to.”

“How long do you want to hold me for,” Robin asked.

“Well, average male lifespan is seventy-eight years,” Damian said, “I’d like just a decade or two longer than that.”

Robin smiled widely, “We’ll work on that.”

“Did you need any help in here,” Damian asked.

Robin smirked, “You can do anything you set your mind to, but I don’t think today is the day for you to learn how to do makeup.”

“No, probably not,” Damian said, “I should go get dressed, but I’m pretty happy like this.”

“Do you want to comb your hair,” Robin asked.

“That’ll take three seconds,” Damian said. He picked up his comb, raked a quick side part in his hair, combed one side one way, the other side the other, down in the back, then sprayed hairspray on his head.

It was Robin’s turn for her jaw to drop as she looked at Damian’s now-styled hair, “That’s just not fair. It took two and a half hours to get my hair looking like this. That literally took you three seconds.”

“I told you,” Damian said with a smile. “I’m going to get dressed.”

“I’ll see you in a minute,” Robin said.

A minute later, true to her word, Robin returned to her bedroom. Damian was sitting on her bed, bent over to tie his shoes. Robin giggled at his as she walked in.

“What,” Damian asked.

“Did you start at the bottom and work your way up,” Robin asked, “I just thought you’d put on your shirt before your shoes.”

“The shirt will wrinkle less if I don’t have to bend over too many times,” Damian said, justifying his actions as he stood up, “Ironing isn’t fun. I don’t want to do it again, if I don’t have to.”

Damian reached for his shirt as Robin shrugged her robe off. Damian’s eyes widened as Robin stood in front of him in just her underwear.

“What,” Robin asked, parroting Damian’s line.

“You’re beautiful,” Damian said, “I don’t tell you that enough.”

Robin smirked, “You’re just saying that because I’m almost naked. You’re the one who bought me the dress that I can’t wear a bra under. I think that was deliberate on your part.”

Damian pulled his shirt on as Robin slipped into her dress. “Zip me up, please.”

Damian complied, then turned to the mirror and tied his tie. Robin said, “I’m surprised you didn’t go for a bow tie with that tuxedo.”

“I wondered about that, too,” Damian said, “Alfred said this would look better. That, and I can’t tie a bow tie. This one is no problem, though.”

“Come here,” Robin said. Damian walked across the room, and Robin handed him a necklace. She gently lifted her hair out of the way, and Damian fastened the chain around her neck. “Thanks.”

Damian’s hands rested on Robin’s shoulders, and he gave her a soft massage, “My pleasure.”

Damian tucked in his shirt and made sure his buttons lined up with his pants fly. When he was sure the line was straight, he donned his white jacket.

“Oh my god,” Robin gasped, “You could be straight out of the movie Casablanca. I love it.”

“That’s the theme of the dance,” Damian said, “That’s why I chose this one.”

Robin slipped her feet into her heels, and Damian grew a contented smile, “Beautiful. Just beautiful. No one at the dance will look as good as us.”

The couple stared at themselves in Robin’s mirror for a long minute before Robin whispered, “I love you so much. I still can’t believe you did all of this without me finding out.”

Damian intertwined his fingers with hers and asked, “Ready to go? We’re going to take your parent’s breath away. I know we will, because you’re taking mine away.”

Robin squeezed Damian’s hand, “I’m ready. Let’s go.”

The couple walked silently down the stairs and stood in the door of the sitting room for a minute. Mike and Lisa didn’t notice the pair until Robin asked, “Well, what do you think?”

Lisa turned and gasped, covering her mouth in shock. Mike’s eyes widened dramatically. Neither were able to speak for a long minute.

Mike broke the silence first as he stood and said, “You two look great.”

“This is even better than the sneak peek from Tuesday,” Lisa said, “Mike, start getting pictures. Damian, I promised I’d call Bruce when you two were dressed and ready.”

Lisa pulled out her iPad and called Bruce on a video call. Damian’s smile during the pictures Mike was taking weren’t because the man said to smile. Damian was wondering if his father could figure out how to answer a video call.

“Bruce, can you hear me,” Lisa asked.

Bruce’s voice came out of the speaker, “I can hear you, Lisa.”

“Can you see me?”

“No, I can’t,” Bruce said, “Wait, now I can…no. Tim, get in here!”

Damian and Robin giggled at Bruce’s shout, and at Tim’s sigh.

“You’ve got your hand over the camera, Bruce,” Tim said, “Turn the pad the other way. There you go.”

“Go get Alfred,” Bruce said, “and hurry back. They probably don’t have too much time.”

Lisa looked at the couple with a soft smile, then said to Bruce, “You’re going to love this, Bruce.”

“Yeah,” Bruce asked, “They look good?”

“Incredible,” Lisa said.

Mike stopped taking pictures and asked, “You two okay?”

Robin gave a content smile, “I’m great. I still can’t believe this is happening.”

“Where are you going from here,” Mike asked.

“What time is it,” Robin asked.

Mike checked his phone, “Five-thirty.”

Robin gave a slight cringe, “Our appointment for pictures is at six.”

Damian turned to look at Robin, “It’s at six? Our dinner reservation is at six.”

“Okay, we’re all here, Lisa,” Bruce said, “Let’s see the happy couple.”

Lisa looked over at the kids, “Move more into the light, just in case.”

Damian and Robin moved a bit to the side before Lisa turned the iPad around. There was a collective gasp as Bruce, Alfred, and Tim tried to stick their faces closer to the screen.

Robin waved, “Hi, Mr. Wayne. Hi, Mr. Alfred. Hi, Tim.”

“It’s so much better than I thought,” Bruce said, “You two look great.”

“Thank you, Father,” Damian said softly.

“Seriously, Damian,” Tim said, “You…I can’t even describe it. It’s like you two were meant for this.”

“We were,” Damian said with a smirk.

“Very charming,” Alfred said, unable to hide his smile, “Miss Robin, you are quite beautiful, and Master Damian, you look very dashing this evening.”

“Thanks,” Robin said.

Bruce looked away from the screen for a second, then looked back nervously, “Damian, can I ask you a huge favor?”

“What is it, Father?”

“Can you close your eyes until I tell you it’s okay to open them?”

Damian hid his eye roll. _Miss Kyle must be there, begging to see what we look like. I did tell Father that he could show her a picture._ “You promised you wouldn’t tell me about it,” Damian said softly.

“I didn’t tell you anything,” Bruce said, “I just asked you to do me a favor. You can count down from twenty.”

Damian bit his cheek hard for a second before closing his eyes. He didn’t see the stunned smile that crossed Selina’s face when she stared at the couple, but he didn’t miss the soft gasp she gave. _I’m trying, Father. I just wish you wouldn’t push things so much._

“Thanks, Kiddo,” Bruce said after he made sure Damian wouldn’t see Selina when he opened his eyes, “That means a lot to me.”

Damian opened his eyes and said softly, “You’re welcome, Father.”

Robin eyed Damian for a second before saying, “It was nice to see you three, but we have to get going. Our pictures appointment and our dinner reservation got scheduled for the same time. I’m hoping we can get the pictures done early, so the restaurant doesn’t give away our table.”

“You should get going, kids,” Mike said.

Robin squeezed Damian’s hand and asked, “Is it wrong that I think I’m looking forward to dinner more than the dance?”

Damian glanced over and smirked, “Dinner will probably be the easier part of the night.”

“Have fun, you two,” Bruce called out.

Damian smiled, “I can guarantee that we will.”

Lisa ended the video call and said, “Before you go, don’t forget the flowers.”

Robin’s eyes widened, “I haven’t even seen the flowers yet.”

Lisa hurried to the kitchen, then came back with the flowers. She held them out for Robin to see, and the girl gave a happy smile.

“Mrs. Abbey, could you put them on for us,” Damian asked, “I don’t want to mess it up.”

Lisa smiled at the question and said, “Sure, Honey.”

After the final touch, Mike said, “You two should get going. We’ll leave the porch light on for you.”

Robin looked confused, “Why? We’re not coming home tonight.”

Mike shrugged, “Just in case. Your plans could change. If you want to come home, you can.”

Robin smiled, “Don’t wait up.”

Robin and Damian sprinted to the school, where the pictures were being taken. It was Damian’s first time on Robin’s school campus, and it was about what he expected. They were able to have their pictures done early and made it to the restaurant only one minute before their reservation time. They were able to take their time during dinner. Robin wanted them to eat slowly, to secretly give Damian a chance to relax before they got to the dance. She was worried about how he would react to a large room packed full of strangers dancing to loud music. It was completely different to anything that Robin could think Damian had done before.

Robin pulled up outside of the venue, a large auditorium that had been rented out for the night, and found a parking spot. The couple sat for a minute before Robin turned to look at Damian.

“Ready,” Damian asked with a smile.

“Before we go in, I just want you to sit and breathe for a minute,” Robin said.

Damian stared at Robin in confusion, “Why?”

“I want you to relax and have fun tonight,” Robin said, “I know you aren’t comfortable doing things like this.”

Damian smiled, “I’m only focused on you tonight, Beautiful. If you’re having fun, then I’m happy.”

“But we both need to have fun,” Robin said, “Take a breath and get yourself ready. I know you didn’t do normal high school stuff when you were in high school.”

“I’ll be fine,” Damian said, “but I know you’re going to watch out for me. That’s why I love you. Should we go and amaze your school with how beautiful you are?”

Without waiting for an answer, Damian got out of the car and walked around to open the door for Robin. Even though she knew that Damian would do those little touches for her every chance he got, they still made her blush that he still did them.

Robin took Damian’s hand as she slid out of the car, then wrapped her arm around his as they walked towards the venue. The dance had already started, but they were far from the last arrivals.

Waiting in line to get in, Robin smiled and asked, “Is this the definition of ‘fashionably late’?”

Damian shrugged, “We didn’t need to be the first people here. How can we make an entrance when we are the only ones in the building?”

They were two couples away from the door when Robin gasped, “Damian, the tickets!”

“They’re in your purse,” Damian said.

Robin opened the small bag and heaved a sigh of relief when she found the tickets. “How did you know they were in there?”

Damian gave a light shrug and a small smile, “I put them in there. Also, there’s a little surprise in there for the both of us. A ‘just in case’ measure, depending on how the night goes.”

Robin looked at the bottom of the purse and found a handful of condoms. She stared at Damian as she pulled out the tickets to hand to the ticket-taker, “Someone’s pretty confident.”

“If I didn’t put them in there, you would have,” Damian said as they entered the venue.

Robin grew a smirk and showed Damian the inside of her bag. There were twice as many condoms as Damian had originally put in the bag. “I planned ahead, too.”

Damian chuckled, “I guess we’re covered.”

“Let’s go, Lover,” Robin said, “Let’s see if we can find my friends.”

Walking through an archway, Damian and Robin entered a patio area set up with food stands and standing tables. Dozens of students stood around the tables, talking and eating. Several more couples were walking around, and everyone was taking in the sights.

Several people pointed at Robin as she walked by with Damian. “They’re staring at us,” Robin said softly.

“Of course, they are,” Damian said, “You’re beautiful. Why wouldn’t they stare?”

Robin smiled at the compliment, then said, “I think they are more interested in the fact that my years of insisting that I have a boyfriend are now being proven true. Believe it or not, lots of people have heard my excuse of having an out-of-state boyfriend.”

Damian smiled and held Robin’s arm a little tighter, “Now, when you go back to school on Monday, you’ll have proof. See anyone you know yet?”

Robin glanced at Damian, “I see plenty of people I _know_. I don’t see my friends yet, though.”

They walked around the patio for another couple minutes before Damian said, “You know, I expected there to be more _dancing_ at this dance. This is just a lot of standing around.”

Robin kissed Damian’s cheek lightly, “The dancing is going on inside. Was that an observation, or a hint?”

“How do you want to take it,” Damian asked.

“A hint,” Robin said, “I’m pretty sure my friends are going to be inside. Let’s go.”

They passed through another archway and entered a second patio. This one was between two auditorium-sized rooms, one to the left and one to the right. This patio was filled with trees and shrubs, making a makeshift garden. Damian and Robin could see benches interspersed throughout the paths, and several were occupied with couples either talking or kissing.

Damian smirked at the sight, “What kind of activities did your school plan?”

Robin rolled her eyes, “This isn’t a society party, Damian. It’s a high school dance. Alaska is very different than Gotham. No one is going to make the society page for getting together with their date tonight.”

“Looks to me like the school in encouraging a baby boom,” Damian said, “Which bench is ours?”

“Why don’t we save that for later,” Robin said, “When you get tired and irritable, and you need a break.”

“What makes you think I’m going to get irritable,” Damian asked.

“You’re out of your element, Damian,” Robin said, “Did you think I didn’t notice how you held my arm tighter when people started looking at me? You don’t have to worry. My dance card is full tonight, and your name is the only one on it.”

Robin led Damian to the left hand auditorium, knowing that it would be the one that Damian would want to enter the least. Loud electronic dance music was blaring from the open door, and the occasional flash of a strobe light worked its way out of the room.

They stopped outside of the door, and Robin nearly had to yell to be heard, “I know it’s not your kind of music, or atmosphere, but this is also the most likely place to find my friends. If nothing else, you can test out some of those dance moves I taught you the other day.”

Robin could tell instantly that Damian was struggling with the noise as they walked into the darkened, crowded space. She also knew that he would do his best to not show how uncomfortable he was.

“What do you think,” Robin called in Damian’s ear.

Damian leaned over and said loudly, “I think Father and I chased a gun runner through a club last year that looked exactly like this.”

Robin smiled, knowing that the response was supposed to try to lighten the mood, “No gun runners tonight. Just teenagers.”

Damian turned to face Robin and smirked, “I don’t know which is harder to deal with.”

“Dance with me, Lover.”

The couple blended into the crowd on the dance floor, and Robin used what she knew about Damian to try to make this easier on him. Movement, no matter the type, allowed Damian to process and clear his mind. His preferred method was running, but dancing seemed to help him grow more comfortable with the situation, too.

After a couple songs, Robin realized that her plan was working, and she felt that she could relax herself and enjoy a dance with her boyfriend. This was the first time they had danced, other than the short lessons Robin had provided to bring Damian’s dancing skills into the twenty-first century, in over a year. Damian was giving his true, small smile, and Robin knew that he was just happy to spend time with her.

_He’s starting to relax,_ Robin thought, _this is going better than I thought. He’s allowing himself to be the teenager that I know is repressed inside of him. He’s doing this for me, but I think he’s enjoying himself a bit, too._

_This isn’t so bad,_ Damian thought, _I think I’m getting the hang of this. I prefer something slower, though. I can’t really hold on to Robin with this kind of dancing. That’s my favorite part of dancing with Robin, is holding on to her. Wait, why can’t I hold on to her? We wouldn’t be the only ones in here doing that. This is…this is kind of fun._

Damian stepped closer and grabbed Robin’s swaying hips, matching his movements to hers. Robin looked down at Damian’s hands before smiling at him and placing her hands on his shoulders. Damian was confused, and thought he had done something wrong, and that Robin was pushing him back. He settled down again when Robin’s hands slid up and joined at the back of his neck.

Robin pulled Damian even closer and said in his ear, “Now you’re getting the idea. You’re getting good at this.”

Damian released a relieved breath and said, “I’ve always been a quick study, and I had the best teacher.”

“You bet you did,” Robin said as their gyrations smoothed out to a fluid, rhythmic sway.

Neither partner of the couple could tell you how many songs they danced through, how long they stood in the middle of the dance floor, or who else was around them. They got lost in each other’s eyes, and the rest of the crowd faded from their consciousness. They were totally focused on each other, and this was exactly what Damian hoped would happen when he started planning for the dance months ago. This moment was all he was hoping for, and it made him truly happy that he got it. Staying with Robin for an entire month was great, but this one moment made everything worth it.

Like all moments, they are momentary, and they pass too soon. Even though this moment lasted for the better part of a half hour, it ended all too soon for the couple as a familiar voice broke into their minds.

“Hey! There you two are. We didn’t know if you made it. We’ve been looking for you.”

Robin blinked a couple times before turning her head and smiling, “Hey, Kristen. We were looking for you, too. Not too hard, but we…at least, we started out looking for you. Damian was in a mood to dance, and I didn’t know how long the mood would last.”

Kristen smiled, “I get it. Ethan and I were doing the same thing. Oh my god. You two look great!”

“I told you my dress was amazing,” Robin said, “Damian doesn’t look too bad, either.”

Kristen looked at the younger boy and said, “No, he doesn’t look too bad. Damian, this is my boyfriend, Ethan. Ethan, this is Damian. You won the bet with Jake. He does exist.”

Damian looked up at the taller, skinnier, dark-haired teen and nodded, “Nice to meet you, Ethan.”

Ethan gave an easy smile and shook Damian’s hand, “Hey, nice to meet you, too. Are you guys coming to the afterparty with us?”

Damian glanced at Robin, then said, “That’s the plan.”

Ethan’s smile grew, “Awesome. Brandon and Jake said they have something special planned. We should find them, Kris. Let them know we found Robin and Damian.”

Robin wrapped her arm around Damian’s waist and said, “Let’s take a break. We’ve been dancing for a while.”

“Of course, we have,” Damian said with a smirk, “It’s a dance. What else are we supposed to do?”

The pair of couples left the loud dance floor, and Damian found that his ears were ringing with the volume of the music. However, unlike other exposures to loud noises, which usually set Damian on edge, he found he wasn’t as agitated as he should be. He attributed it to Robin’s calming presence.

Once outside again, Robin asked, “Was that a snarky response, or an actual question? I know you’ve never done something like this before.”

Damian thought for a second, “It was a snarky response, but now that you ask, I’ll turn it into an actual question. What else do we do here?”

Robin smiled as she thought, _he’s really relaxing. This is going so much better than I had hoped._ “Well, we do more of what we were doing. We dance. We enjoy each other’s company. We dance some more. We let the evening play out how it will.”

“I can work with that,” Damian said.

“Where is everyone else,” Robin asked Kristen.

Kristen looked around before saying, “Michelle and Janelle are in the other building. They figured you two would be in there.”

Robin smiled widely, “I figured all of you would be in the loud building. That’s why we went there first.”

The girls laughed before Kristen said, “I haven’t seen Connie. She said she was coming with Janelle, so she must be here somewhere.”

Robin looked confused, “All of you didn’t come together?”

Ethan shook his head, “Jake and Brandon went to set up the party before the dance. We came on our own.”

Damian leaned over to Robin and whispered, “Who are Jake and Brandon?”

“Jake is Connie’s boyfriend,” Robin said softly, “Brandon is Janelle’s boyfriend.”

Damian turned and asked, “Why did you say it like that?”

“Later,” Robin whispered before turning back to Kristen, “If you want to look around, or do something else, we can set a time and place to meet.”

“That sounds good,” Kristen said. She glanced at her phone and said, “It’s almost eight. Meet at the food tables at ten?”

Robin glanced at Damian, then said, “Make it eleven.”

Kristen and Ethan smiled, “Sounds good. Have fun, you two.”

Kristen and Ethan walked back into the loud building as Damian turned to Robin and said, “Three hours. What are we going to do?”

“We’re going to do what I said before,” Robin said, “We’re going to dance, and see how the evening goes. First, we’re going to take a break.”

The pair headed for a secluded bench among the trees. Damian couldn’t help noticing that the chaperones walking the paths were not doing much other than observing, which allowed him to feel a little more comfortable with their presence.

“I’m doing okay,” Damian said, “We don’t have to take a break yet, if you don’t want to.”

“I want to,” Robin said, “We were dancing for a long time. I want to sit down for a bit.” The couple sat, and Robin smiled at Damian, “I’m really proud of you. You put up with that really loud music without a complaint.”

“It was really loud,” Damian said, “but…I don’t know. It didn’t bother me as much as I thought it would. I guess you calm me. You settle me down.”

“What do you mean,” Robin asked.

Damian took a breath, “I wasn’t comfortable going in there. I wasn’t comfortable dancing in front of people, especially with that kind of dancing. I was with you, though, and you wanted to dance, so I focused on you. I tried to remember what you taught me, and looked at what other people were doing.”

Damian blushed a bit, “I didn’t like that I couldn’t touch you while we were dancing. That’s why I grabbed you. You scared me a bit when you put your hands on my shoulders. I thought I did something wrong, and you were going to push me away. When you pulled me closer, though, that was it. It was just…comfortable. You held my head at the right angle where I could look into your eyes. Once I did that, it was just us. I didn’t hear the music. I didn’t notice bumping into other people. I didn’t see anything else, except your eyes. I get lost in your eyes so easily, and it made that whole situation bearable. I think, if Kristen hadn’t found us, we’d still be there, dancing.”

Robin smiled widely, melting at Damian’s contented look. “You give the longest explanations.”

Damian smiled as he leaned in closer, “Then, let me shorten it up for you.” Damian brushed a soft kiss against Robin’s lips before whispering in her ear, “I love you so much, Beautiful.”

“Much better,” Robin whispered before the pair kissed deeply.

They broke apart for air after ten minutes, and Damian pulled Robin tightly to his side. Damian trailed his fingers lazily up and down Robin’s exposed left arm and said, “You really look good in that dress. I knew you would, and I knew we’d look good together, but after seeing some of your classmates, you really are the most beautiful girl here.”

Robin leaned her head over to rest against Damian’s and sighed happily, “There’s nothing I’d rather be doing right now, than sitting here with you.”

Damian turned his head and raised an eyebrow, “Nothing?”

Robin rolled her eyes, “Like I said, nothing else I’d rather be doing _right now_. _Later_ is another story.”

Damian took a deep breath, “I didn’t know what tonight would be like. It’s better than I thought.”

“I’m glad you’re having fun,” Robin said.

“The question is, though, are you having fun,” Damian asked, “We aren’t here for me. Tonight, is for you. So, are you having fun?”

Robin gave a soft smile, “You have no idea. A month ago, I was looking forward to sitting in my room tonight and trying to convince myself that I didn’t really want to go to the dance, while trying not to sink into misery at having to miss my Senior Prom. I really did want to come tonight. I just figured there was no way for it to happen. How _did_ it happen?”

Damian shrugged as he pulled Robin tighter into his side, “I told Father that I wanted to take you to your Prom. That is a normal teenage activity, and he has been encouraging me to do those for years. It was really Father and your parents that deserve the credit. When we called in January to ask about your Prom, your Father reminded us that I was already coming out for your birthday. Your Mother was the one to suggest that I stay with you for the month, and Father agreed almost immediately. After that, I started sending messages to your friends, asking for help in getting everything arranged for us to actually come to the dance. Alfred and I spent hours picking out dresses and shoes with your Mother. Your Father found a local florist for the flowers. Tim and Gina gave me a lot of encouragement to go through with this. I’ve been nervous since February, when we really started putting everything together. I love our daily conversations on the phone, and all of our Skype calls, but I was so scared that I’d say something to ruin the surprise. Every time we spoke, I was amazed that you didn’t catch on. Um, you didn’t catch on, did you?”

Robin smiled, “You saw my look when I found you on the front porch on Tuesday. Did I look like I had any idea this was going to happen?”

“No,” Damian said, “but you’re also careful and vigilant about my moods and feelings. If you did find out, you are the type that would still act surprised when I laid it all out.”

“Well, I didn’t find out anything until you told me,” Robin said before giving Damian a short kiss, “and this is the best surprise I’ve ever had. You did this, Damian Wayne. You pulled off your plan, and you have made me extremely happy.”

Damian released the nervous breath he had been holding, and looked as happy as Robin had ever seen him look. “I want to do that. I want to make you happy. I always want to make you happy.”

“Then, let’s keep that up,” Robin said, “Right now, nothing would make me happier than dancing with you. But first, let’s get something to drink. They had the food booths in the other patio.”

Damian smiled, stood, and held his hand out to Robin, “Your wish is my command.”

After an extended stroll around the patios, and a stop for drinks, Damian and Robin walked into the second auditorium. Damian found this one to be far closer to his taste. Instead of the club atmosphere that pervaded the other room, with strobe lights and loud, pounding music, this room was tastefully decorated, adequately lit, and far less crowded than the other room. Jazz music played at an appropriate volume, allowing Damian to see the first sign of the Casablanca theme of the dance.

Damian smiled and took Robin’s hand, spinning the girl before pulling her in and starting to dance to Moonlight Serenade. “This feels more like Casablanca to me,” Damian said in Robin’s ear.

“I’m surprised you’ve even seen Casablanca,” Robin said.

“Father loves old movies,” Damian said, “That was the one special occasion thing he would do with his father. There used to be an old theater in Crime Alley that showed these old movies all the time. Unfortunately, that was where his parents were killed, just outside of the theater. Father hates going to the movies now, but he still loves watching those movies that he first saw with his parents.”

“That’s so sad,” Robin gasped, trying not to cry at the story.

“It is,” Damian said, “but it also has helped Father to bond with us. We’ll watch old movies every now and then. Alfred says it is Father’s way of connecting with his father, and putting himself in his father’s place, and parenting us.”

Robin held on a little tighter to Damian as she thought about the story. She loved that Damian felt comfortable enough to tell her these stories, but at the same time, she hated that all of these stories of happy times with Damian’s family started with sad times.

The couple quickly narrowed their focus to themselves and the music. Damian didn’t get lost in Robin’s eyes this time. They were holding each other too tightly to maintain eye contact. Their eyes were closed as they danced cheek to cheek, and they didn’t see what was going on around them. It didn’t matter to the couple. They had everything they wanted in this moment.

What they did notice was when Michelle tapped Robin on the shoulder and said, “There you are. We’ve been looking for you.”

Robin felt like she was waking up from a trance as she and Damian stopped dancing and looked around the room. They were one of only five couples still dancing in the Casablanca room.

“You have,” Robin asked.

“Yeah,” Michelle said, “You were the one who told Kristen that we’d meet at eleven.”

“But it’s not…” Robin trailed off as she checked the time on her phone. Her eyes widened as she said, “Oh my god. It’s ten after eleven.”

She looked up at Damian, who was just as shocked by the time. “We were dancing for two and a half hours?”

Michelle looked at the couple strangely, “Have you two been in here since talking to Kristen?”

“We sat outside and talked for a while,” Damian said, “but, yeah, pretty much the whole time. Didn’t seem like that long.”

Robin cringed in pain. Now that she was aware of what they had been doing, her feet started aching. “I believe it, now. I’m going to have some killer blisters tomorrow. These shoes are beautiful, and they match the dress perfectly, but I should have broken them in first.”

“Should we go, then,” Damian asked.

Robin was content to spend the entire night dancing with Damian. She didn’t care if her feet fell off tomorrow. It was worth it, for the enjoyment they obviously shared tonight, just being together. She was pretty sure that Damian felt the same way, given the almost disappointed tone in his question.

“What do you want to do,” Robin asked softly.

“What do _you_ want to do,” Damian asked back, “This is your Prom. You make all the decisions tonight.”

Robin smirked, “Name one decision I made about tonight. You put this all together behind my back.”

Damian smiled and shrugged, “I just got us here. The rest is up to you.”

“Let’s go,” Robin said with another small cringe, “My feet are killing me.”

They followed Michelle, and Robin asked, “Where’s Will?”

“Will,” Damian asked.

“My boyfriend,” Michelle said with a smile, “He was going to use the bathroom while I went looking for you two. Ethan is pulling the car around. How did you two get here?”

“I drove,” Robin said, “You came with Ethan and Kristen?”

Michelle nodded, “Yeah. We borrowed Ethan’s dad’s BMW. Connie and Janelle and Brandon and Jake split a limo.”

The group assembled just outside of the venue, and found the parking lot with half of the cars there were when they arrived.

Damian turned to Michelle and asked, “How late does the dance go?”

“They’re kicking everyone out at midnight,” Michelle said, “A lot of people left already. I’m sure there will be stories of their after dance plans going around school on Monday.”

A limo pulled up to the entrance, followed by a silver BMW. Ethan got out of the car and walked over as Connie and Jake, Janelle and Brandon, Will, and Kristen approached from the exit of the venue.

“Haven’t seen you all night,” Connie said, giving Robin a small hug, “Damian, this is Jake, my boyfriend. Jake, this is Damian.”

Jake offered his hand to the younger teen, “Heard a lot about you, Damian. Nice to meet you.”

Damian gave a small smile, “Nice to meet you, too.”

Janelle walked up and said, “This is Brandon, my boyfriend.”

“How’s it going,” Brandon asked.

“Pretty good,” Damian said, shaking the offered hand.

“What are we doing now,” Robin asked, “I was never told plans for after the dance.”

Brandon smirked, “We’ve got an afterparty to get to. We got a suite at the Marriot. Jake and I took care of setting everything up. We’re going to have a ball.”

Robin looked at Brandon for a second, then said, “Okay. The one by the mall?”

Brandon nodded, “Yeah. Just follow the limo.”

“I know where the mall is, Brandon,” Robin said, trying to hide a testy tone. Damian caught the tone, but didn’t react to it.

“Should we go,” Jake asked.

“Let’s go,” Connie said, “We’ll see you at the hotel.”

Robin and Damian walked away from the group, and Damian held his tongue at Robin’s change of mood. Once they were in Robin’s car, though, he asked what was on his mind.

“What’s wrong, Beautiful?”

Robin sighed as she started the car, “I don’t like Brandon. I don’t know what Janelle sees in him. I can’t put my finger on it, but something is off about him.”

“Other than him being a desperate, horny teenager,” Damian asked.

Robin snorted a laugh, “It is kind of obvious, isn’t it? I don’t think their relationship is going to last too much longer. I think Janelle is starting to see what we all see. None of us like him. Her dad _hates_ him.”

“That’s not a nice thing to think about,” Damian said, “but she shouldn’t stay in a toxic relationship.”

“No, she shouldn’t,” Robin said.

The two cars followed the limo to the Marriot, and parked while the limo pulled up to the valet stand.

As they walked through the parking lot, Damian asked, “What kind of afterparty do you think they have planned?”

Robin looked at Damian. His nervous tone was back. _He’s never met these people before, and he agreed to spend the night with them, even if he didn’t know it. It’s perfectly natural that Damian is going to be nervous._ “Probably the kind that your Father would have warned you about avoiding. There might be more dancing, but I’m pretty sure it’s going to be five couples trying to be alone in a room together. At least we packed my purse with provisions.”

The only thing that Damian could remember being in Robin’s purse that was packed specifically for tonight was a handful of condoms. He froze in the parking lot, stopping Robin with him.

“What is it,” she asked.

Damian turned distressed eyes to Robin, “We…we’re going to…do that…in _front_ of people? I like your friends, but I don’t want to see that, and I don’t want them to see us doing that.”

“Damian, we don’t have to do anything that we’re not comfortable with,” Robin said, “We don’t even have to stay here. Why don’t we see what they arranged, then we can decide what we want to do. This is why we have our car. We don’t have to stay.”

Damian took a breath, seeing the group waiting for them out of the corner of his eye. “I’m not sure I’m comfortable with this, but we can check it out before we make a decision.”

Robin nodded, and they rejoined the group. Kristen raised an eyebrow at Robin, and Robin mouthed, ‘ _He’s nervous.’_

Kristen’s eyes widened in shock, and she mouthed, ‘ _Him?’_

Robin gave a small nod as they got in the elevator and ascended to the fourth floor.

“Here we are,” Brandon said as he opened the door to room 423.

A table had been set up in front of the window, and it had been stocked with sodas and chips, and cups and plates. The kinds of foods that a teenage boy would pick out for a party. There were two bedrooms attached to the main room, and several couches and chairs in the main room.

“Help yourselves to anything,” Brandon said, like he was welcoming people into his own home, “A buddy of mine is bringing over a couple pizzas around midnight. He works at Dominos and is hooking us up. We’ve got sodas on the table, and ice in the cooler. If you want something stronger, we’ve got that, too.”

Brandon opened the lid of the cooler and pulled out a bottle of whiskey and a bottle of tequila, and smiled at the group like he was the coolest guy around. “Let’s party,” he said.

Damian had seen enough. He and Robin both backed up towards the closed door.

Robin whispered in Damian’s ear, “I don’t like this, Damian.”

“Neither do I,” Damian murmured back, “I can see why you don’t like Brandon. It looks like Kristen and Michelle are feeling the same way we do.”

“So do Will and Ethan,” Robin said as music started playing, “I don’t like this, but I don’t feel comfortable leaving, either.”

Damian hated that he could feel his Robin instincts kicking in as the youthful vigilante tried to take precedence in his mind. “We’ll stay for a little bit. Just long enough to not look suspicious. Father and I have busted more than our fair share of underage punks who thought something like this party was a good idea. I hate to say this, but I can’t see this ending well.”

Trying to look natural, Damian sat down on the end of the couch and pulled Robin down to sit next to him. Their short cuddle escalated quickly as Robin leaned in and kissed Damian passionately. Damian enjoyed the kiss greatly, but not as much as he would have if they were alone. Damian was still nervous about being expected to be intimate with Robin in front of strangers. As such, he couldn’t relax enough to focus solely on Robin.

Robin felt Damian’s apprehension in his lips. She knew it wasn’t aimed at her, which is why she accepted it. Trying to get Damian to relax, Robin moved to sit in Damian’s lap. Damian wasn’t about to say no, and wrapped his arms around Robin’s back.

Michelle, who had been talking to Will and trying to decide their own plans, smiled at Robin and Damian and said softly to Will, “I told you they would be the first ones taking advantage of the situation.”

Will smiled, “Don’t they know that, as they’re first, they get choice of rooms?”

Michelle shook her head, “I doubt Damian will go for that.”

Will looked at his girlfriend, “Too young? I know you said he’s only fifteen.”

“Too shy,” Michelle said, “He’s not good in social situations. He’s really uncomfortable right now. It’s not about being with Robin. I bet he’s nervous because we’re all here.”

“How do you know that,” Will asked.

“Robin told us.”

Will smiled, “Maybe we shouldn’t be staring at them, then.”

Michelle turned her back and said, “Why don’t we follow their example?”

“I like that idea.”

The party seemed to divide up into couples, and they minded their own business, following Damian’s and Robin’s example. As they were no longer the center of attention, Damian started to relax a bit. Robin grew a small smile as she felt Damian relax, and moved to straddle Damian’s legs.

Damian broke their kiss and said, “Stop.”

“Sorry,” Robin said, “I know you’re still not comfortable. Did you want to go to one of the rooms?”

Damian shook his head, his voice rising, “No, not that. Janelle, stop! Don’t drink that.”

Janelle held a cup two inches from her lips, but stopped short and turned her head to look nervously at Damian.

Damian stood after setting Robin back on the couch and walked over to Janelle and Brandon. Glaring up at the older teen, who stood almost a full foot taller than Damian, he asked, “What was that?”

Brandon scoffed, “It’s a diet Pepsi, dude. Don’t your have your own girlfriend to worry about? Stop butting in.”

“What did you put in her drink,” Damian said forcefully, “I saw you drop something in the cup. What was it?”

“You’re seeing things, man,” Brandon said, “Chill out.”

Janelle looked scared, and stared seriously at the cup, “You put something in my drink?”

“Of course not, Jan,” Brandon said, “Why would I put something in your drink? Who are you going to believe?”

The entire room was focused on the confrontation now, and it seemed that they all wanted an answer to the questions.

“What was it,” Damian said again, “I know what I saw.”

“You better be able to prove this, little man,” Brandon said, turning to face Damian.

“Fine,” Damian said, “What’s that?”

“What’s what?”

“This,” Damian said as he reached up and flicked Brandon hard in the forehead. Brandon’s head snapped back, more in surprise than pain, at the sudden impact.

While Brandon was distracted, Damian’s left arm flashed out and snagged a baggie from Brandon’s pocket. It was full of pills.

“Is this proof enough for you,” Damian snarled.

“You’re going to wish you didn’t do that, Cub Scout,” Brandon said angrily.

Janelle dropped the cup and gasped, “You _did_ put something in my drink!”

“What are these,” Damian demanded.

Brandon found himself on the receiving end of half a dozen angry stares. It was enough to hold the punch he wanted to throw at Damian. “It’s just something to help us relax and get into the party mood. They’re completely safe.”

“The name,” Damian demanded again, “What are they?”

“My buddy got them for me,” Brandon said, “He said they’re called Rohypnol.”

Janelle looked confused and asked, “What’s that?”

Damian was furious, and Robin was scared of what might happen. She could tell that she had missed her chance to deescalate the situation. She was also thinking that this was one time where it might be in everyone’s best interest if Damian didn’t calm down.

“Are you fucking kidding me,” Damian nearly shouted, “You put Rohypnol in her drink?”

“What is it, Damian,” Janelle asked with fear in her voice.

“A Roofie,” Damian said, causing startled gasps from the rest of the group.

“You slipped me a Roofie,” Janelle shouted.

Brandon turned to Janelle and said, “You’re too uptight. You needed to mellow out. You weren’t going to sleep with me before…”

“Well I sure as hell am not going to sleep with you now,” Janelle shouted.

“Baby, come on,” Brandon said, taking a step closer to Janelle.

“Step back,” Damian said firmly.

Brandon whipped around to glare ominously at Damian, “I’ve had all I’m going to take from you, you little shit. You’re done.”

In a move faster than most of the room could track, while Brandon was still trying to figure out how he wanted to attack Damian to cause the most damage, Damian dropped the baggie of pills, reached into his left sleeve, and whipped out a dagger. Brandon didn’t track the move, but he caught the light glinting off of the polished steel blade, and stopped his advance just before impaling himself through the throat.

The room froze in shock. Robin was in shock, because she saw Damian putting on his shirt earlier and hadn’t noticed the sheath strapped to his arm. She also hadn’t felt it any of the numerous times Damian had held her and hugged her tonight. The rest of the group was shocked at the fact the Damian had a knife in the first place.

“Make a move,” Damian growled, “I fucking dare you.”

Brandon made a move. The smart move. He held up his hands in a placating gesture and took a couple steps back.

“Enough of this,” Robin said, “Girls, I can fit all of you in my car. I’m not staying here anymore. Let’s go.”

Janelle was the first one to move, grabbing her purse and walking around behind Damian. “We’re done, Brandon. Don’t ever talk to me again. You’re lucky I’m not reporting you to the police. My Dad might not be so forgiving, though.”

Will and Ethan flanked Damian, glaring at Brandon.

“You really thought this was a good idea, Brandon,” Ethan asked.

“That’s pretty low, man,” Will said, shaking his head.

Connie grabbed her purse and looked at Jake, “Did you know about this? Were you in on this?”

“I wasn’t going to give you one,” Jake said.

“But you knew he was going to do this,” Connie said, “You helped him plan this.”

Jake sighed, “I knew.”

Connie shook her head, “You made your choice, then. We’re through. Don’t call me again.”

The girls were heading out of the door. Will and Ethan followed them out.

It was just Damian, Brandon, and Jake left in the room, and Damian said, “You heard them. Do the smart thing for once and never contact them again. If you do, I’ll hear about it, and I won’t be so nice next time. Believe me, I know how to use this. You don’t want to meet me again.”

Damian backed out of the room, replacing the knife in his sleeve, and closed the door on his way out.

Robin was waiting just outside of the door, and shook her head, “I knew something was off tonight.”

“You heard what I told them,” Damian said, “Make sure the girls know about that. You have to let me know, too. I will get on a plane for this. I can’t let them get away with things like this.”

Robin whispered in Damian’s ear, “Take it easy, Damian. You’re not Robin right now. Now isn’t the time for the Boy Wonder. You have to relax. My friends won’t understand that other side of you.”

Damian took a deep breath and nodded as they rejoined the group at the elevator. Will was holding the car, waiting for the last couple.

Once the elevator door closed, Janelle wrapped her arms around Damian’s neck. The girl was crying and gasped, “Thank you. You saved me tonight, Damian.”

Damian glanced at Robin, who gave a slight nod. Damian gave Janelle a soft hug and said, “I couldn’t let him get away with that. If he ever contacts you again, call me.”

“You live on the other side of the country,” Janelle said, starting to settle down.

“I’ll get on a plane,” Damian growled, “I made sure Brandon and Jake knew that before leaving the room. They shouldn’t be a problem anymore. I’m going to make sure of that before we leave, though.”

“What do you mean,” Robin asked darkly.

The elevator door opened, and Damian headed straight for the front desk. A man in his early thirties asked, “Can I help you?”

Damian nodded seriously, “Room 423. Sounds like a big party going on in there. It’s too late for something like that. They’re bothering the surrounding rooms.”

The clerk nodded, “Thank you. We’ll take care of it.”

The group walked out of the lobby, and Robin was very glad that was all Damian had done. She wouldn’t have put it past him to go back to the room and beat the hell out of the two older teen boys.

Ethan sighed at Kristen and said, “I swear, I had no idea anything like that was going to happen.”

“I know,” Kristen said, “I didn’t think you did.”

“Want me to take you home,” Ethan asked.

“I do,” Kristen said, “but I don’t know how I feel right now. I think I’m going to go with Robin. I just want this night to be over. I’m sorry. I had a really good time at the dance, though.”

“I did too,” Ethan said, hugging Kristen, “Are we okay?”

“We are,” Kristen said with a smile, “Call me tomorrow.”

“I will,” Ethan said.

Will and Michelle had much the same conversation, and Michelle was going home with Robin, too. Will and Michelle were going to have lunch tomorrow, but tonight needed to end.

Will and Ethan both said goodbye to Damian, thanking him for stopping something bad from happening, before heading to Ethan’s car to go home.

The girls and Damian piled into Robin’s car. It was a tight fit, and they technically didn’t have enough seatbelts for all of the girls in the back seat. They didn’t care. They just wanted to go home.

As the car turned out of the hotel parking lot, Michelle asked, “How did you know, Damian?”

“I didn’t see anything,” Janelle said, “How did this happen?”

Damian sighed, “I wasn’t comfortable from the moment we walked into the hotel room. I was on edge even more when they revealed the alcohol. I tried, but I couldn’t relax. I was looking around the room, wondering why I felt so off, and I saw Brandon pouring your drink. I saw him stick his hand in his pocket. I didn’t see the pill, but I saw him holding his hand over the top of your drink. Believe me, I wish I was wrong.”

“I’m glad you weren’t,” Janelle said softly, “You saved me from getting raped tonight.”

_This is usually the part of the night when Batman and Robin disappear into the darkness. I’m not used to being thanked for saving people. It’s a new feeling._ “You deserve much better than him, if that’s how he’s going to treat you.”

Janelle sighed sadly, “People have been telling me that for a while. I’m going to listen now.”

Robin pulled up in front of Janelle’s house and the girl got out. Damian got out as well and walked Janelle to the door.

“You didn’t have to do this, Damian,” Janelle said as she knocked on the door. She hadn’t been planning on coming home until the morning, and hadn’t brought her house key.

A large, imposing man opened the door, and was surprised to see the girl, “Janelle? What are you doing home?” He then looked at Damian and asked, “Who are you, and what are you doing with my daughter?”

Robin spoke up from behind Damian. He didn’t know she had followed them to the door. “Hi, Mr. Jenkins.”

“Hello, Robin,” Janelle’s father said.

“This is my boyfriend, Damian,” Robin said, “Prom went great, but the afterparty was a disaster.”

Mr. Jenkins looked back at Janelle, “Brandon wasn’t even brave enough to bring you home himself?”

Janelle looked like she was a second away from tears, “You don’t have to worry about Brandon anymore. We broke up. I never want to see him or talk to him again.”

“Why,” Mr. Jenkins asked, “What happened?”

“He…He…” Janelle finally did break down in tears and hugged her father.

Mr. Jenkins looked at Robin, but Damian spoke up, “Brandon tried to drug your daughter tonight, Sir. I made sure he didn’t.”

“You did,” the man asked.

Robin nodded, wrapping an arm around Damian’s shoulders, “Damian saw Brandon slip something into Janelle’s Pepsi, and stopped her from drinking it. He stood up to Brandon to stop something bad from happening.”

“Weren’t you scared,” Mr. Jenkins asked, “No offense, but Brandon is almost my size. You’re pretty small.”

Damian smirked, “The best things come in small packages, Sir.”

Mr. Jenkins laughed as he took his daughter inside, “Thanks for bringing her home. Thanks for doing what you did.”

Damian nodded, “It was the right thing to do. You shouldn’t have any trouble with Brandon. I can be pretty scary when I want to be, for a smaller guy.”

The couple returned to the car, and Robin drove the rest of her friends’ home. Damian walked all of them to their doors, because it was the middle of the night, and it made him feel better to do it. Janelle was the only one who hadn’t thought to bring a house key with them tonight, so the rest of the girls were able to get in to their homes.

Robin released a massive sigh as she pulled into her home driveway and turned off the car. “Well, that didn’t go how I hoped.”

“If I knew what the plans were going to be for the afterparty while I was planning all of this, we wouldn’t have gone,” Damian said, “I was just told that something was being planned, not what it was.”

Robin turned to look at Damian, “If we hadn’t gone, Janelle wouldn’t be safe at home right now.”

Damian shuddered, “I don’t even want to think about that right now.”

Damian got out of the car and opened Robin’s door. Robin smiled at the small gesture, and took Damian’s hand as they walked up to the house.

“Seriously, Damian,” Robin whispered as she opened the front door, “You were amazing tonight. You put up with the dance, and you stood up to a thug to stop him from raping my friend.”

“The dance was actually pretty fun,” Damian said softly. They didn’t want to wake Robin’s parents at this late hour. “It almost makes me wish we had thought to go to my Prom.”

Damian gratefully shed his jacket as Robin pulled her shoes off. Her feet were aching as they walked towards the stairs. “I didn’t see you had that knife with you when you were getting dressed earlier.”

Damian smirked, “You know me. I never go anywhere without at least one knife.”

Robin cocked her head to the side, “How many do you have on you tonight?”

“Three,” Damian said, “One on my wrist, one at my waist, and one on my ankle.”

Robin shook her head, “Amazing. I didn’t see or feel any of them.”

“I was trained to be sneaky.”

Robin dropped one of her shoes on the top step accidently. The teens froze, waiting to see if the noise would wake up Robin’s parents. When nothing happened after a minute, they breathed a sigh of relief as Damian picked up the shoe.

“Hey, we need to be quiet, so we don’t wake your parents.”

Robin stopped at the door of the guest room and grabbed Damian’s arm. He looked at her strangely as she gestured for Damian to follow her into the guest room, the farthest room away from her parent’s room on the second floor.

“What are we doing in here,” Damian asked as Robin closed the door.

Robin eyed Damian seductively as she reached around and unzipped her dress. “You’re right, we don’t want to wake my parents. We need to stay quiet. The thing is, I don’t think I can stay quiet tonight.”

Damian gasped lightly as the green dress, which matched Robin’s eyes almost perfectly, slid to the floor.

**A/N: I finally got this part done. This took close to a year to write, on and off, between other projects. I’m glad to be done with this part. There is one more chapter to come to finish this one off. If you think you know where this one is going, you’re completely wrong. Like I have said in notes to just about all of my stories in the 2019 arc (yes, this takes place in May, 2019), big changes are coming. I think chapter two will have one of the biggest changes to my timeline yet. You’ll have to wait and see what happens.**

**Even four thousand miles away from Gotham, on a date with Robin, Damian still can’t turn Robin the Boy Wonder off. That might come into play in future stories. Or not. I haven’t decided yet.**

**This story is a bit strange for me. I was always going to write it in two parts. I started with the second part, because I had a good plan for that. I knew what was going to happen in this part, but actually writing it out took a lot longer than I thought it would.**

**So, like the title suggests, Robin and Damian had a hot night. If you are interested in seeing just how hot, you’ll have to stick around for the second chapter. It’s almost done. It’s also quite a bit longer than this chapter. Hopefully it will be ready soon.**

**Please, let me know what you think. Comments are always welcome. I also enjoy your guesses at where my stories are going. Whatever you guess won’t change the outcome of this story, but it might inspire or influence future stories.**

**Thanks for playing along.**


	2. 2

Hot Night

Chapter 2

_What the hell,_ Damian thought as he slowly woke up. _Something’s wrong here. Something is definitely wrong. I expected to be sore today, after the dance, and our night together, but I shouldn’t feel like this. I don’t even want to move. It hurts to breathe. There’s something wrong with my back, and my legs. What is this on my face?_

Slowly, cautiously, Damian eased an eye open. He quickly closed it against the bright light that was now around him.

_Ow. Maybe that wasn’t a good idea. I don’t remember leaving the light on. I’ll just ask Robin to turn it off. She has to be feeling better than I do._

Damian opened his mouth and tried to speak, only to gag and cough. His throat felt like he had swallowed a box of tacks and washed them down with sand. His chest felt like an elephant was sitting on it.

“Relax. Just calm down. Don’t try to talk right now. Who was watching him? Why didn’t anyone notice he was awake?”

_I don’t know that voice,_ Damian thought.

Damian cracked his eyes open just a fraction and blurrily saw a room filled with machinery and people wearing masks. _I’ve either been captured and I’m now the subject of experimentation, or I’m in some sort of hospital, and things are really bad._

“Can you hear me,” a male voice asked.

Damian opened his mouth again, and the voice said, “Don’t try to talk right now. Can you nod your head?”

Damian slowly nodded, the movement nearly excruciating to the teen.

“Okay. Do you know who you are?”

Damian nodded again. Laying on his left side, Damian started moving his right hand, trying to free it from the blanket.

The man noticed the movement and said, “Hey, stop trying to move, pal.”

Damian continued to move until he had his hand free, much to the displeasure of the man. Damian moved his fingers slowly, looking up at the man then back down to his hand, to make sure the man saw the movements.

“What are you doing,” the man asked.

Damian moved his hand again, and the man’s narrow eyes widened, “You know sign language?”

Damian heaved a sigh, and regretted it, at finally being understood. He nodded slightly.

The man turned and said, “Sandra, go get Grace. She is a sign language interpreter.”

A woman hurried from the room, and returned a minute later with another woman. The man said, “Grace, we need you to interpret. He can’t speak, but he can sign.”

The woman smiled at the teen and began signing. Damian rolled his eyes and signed to the woman, who blushed and said, “Oh. Sorry.”

“What did he say,” the man asked.

“He said he can hear just fine; he just can’t talk right now. So, I don’t have to interpret for him, just for you.”

The man nodded, “Good. Can you tell me your name? Do you remember what it is?”

Damian signed, and Grace translated, “Of course, I remember. My name is Damian Wayne.”

“Good, Damian,” the man said, “How old are you?”

“Fifteen,” Damian replied through Grace.

“Do you know where you are, Damian?”

Damian’s eyes scanned around the small bit of the room he could see and signed, “Hospital?”

The man nodded, “You’re in Fairbanks Memorial Hospital’s ICU. I’m Dr. Ho.”

Grace smiled at Damian’s sign and asked, “Do you want me to interpret that?”

Damian shrugged lightly and nodded once with a cringe. Grace turned to Dr. Ho and said, “He said Hi, Ho.”

Dr. Ho rolled his eyes with a smile, “I suppose that’s a good sign. How do you feel?”

“I hurt,” Damian signed.

Dr. Ho said, “I know, and I’m sorry there isn’t more I can do for the pain right now, but now that you’re awake, I want to see what’s going on before we drug you up. Do you remember what happened?”

Damian thought for a second, but drew a blank and shook his head.

“That’s okay, Damian,” Dr. Ho said, “There was a fire. You’ve got some pretty bad burns, but we’re going to make you better.”

“What happened,” Damian signed.

“Like I said, we’re going to help you.”

Damian opened his mouth, coughed harshly at the attempt to talk, then signed rapidly, “Damnit, tell me what’s going on. I’m not a child; don’t treat me like one. Talk to me like you would talk to any adult. I can take it.”

Dr. Ho looked doubtful, “Are you sure about that?”

Damian glared and gave a sign that needed no interpretation.

Dr. Ho shrugged, “Okay. Like I said, there was a fire. You were brought in barely alive. I’m amazed that you’re awake right now.”

“I’ve always healed fast,” Damian signed.

“Well, you’re going to need our help, this time,” Dr. Ho said, “You have second and third degree burns to your back, arms, and legs, covering roughly forty percent of your body. You can’t talk right now due to smoke inhalation. Your respiratory system is a mess. You’ll need to stay on the oxygen for a while. Now that you’re awake, we’ll do some cognitive tests on you, to make sure the lack of oxygen didn’t affect your brain.”

“When can I go home,” Grace interpreted.

Dr. Ho took a breath, “We’re preparing a skin graft for your right shoulder. We already did two on your lower back and right side. You can’t leave until you’re off the oxygen. My current best guess, and I’ll revise this guess after a couple days of observation, is two months.”

Damian’s eyes widened, “Did you say _months_?”

“Yes, I said months,” Dr. Ho said, “You’re lucky to be alive right now, Damian. At this point, two months is optimistic.”

Damian closed his eyes for a minute, then signed, “How’s Robin?”

“Who is Robin,” Dr. Ho asked.

“Was I brought in alone,” Damian signed.

“He must mean the girl,” Grace said.

“What is she to you,” Dr. Ho asked.

“My girlfriend,” Damian signed, “It was our prom night.”

“Is that why you two were brought in naked,” a nurse asked with a mischievous smile, “We just figured it was from the fire.”

Damian opened his eyes again, “Please, tell me how she is.”

Dr. Ho said, “She has her own treatment team, so I don’t know the latest updates, but last I heard, she was still unconscious. Her burns don’t look as bad as yours, but there have been more respiratory issues. It’s been touch and go for both of you. She has around the clock supervision to make sure she doesn’t stop breathing again.”

A tear slipped from Damian’s eye at the word ‘again’.

Dr. Ho sighed, “I won’t lie to you, Damian. You both have a tough road ahead of you. Get some rest.”

Damian took as deep a breath as he could without triggering a coughing fit, and signed, “Are Robin’s parents here? I’d like to see them.”

Grace answered, “They’re here. Your Dad is here, too. I don’t think he’s sat down since he got here.”

That surprised Damian, “ _My_ Father? How long have I been here?”

Dr. Ho looked at the nurse, then said, “You’ve been here for five days.”

“Five days,” Damian gasped out before dissolving into a coughing fit.

“Don’t talk,” Dr. Ho said sharply, “Give your throat time to heal.”

“I want to see Father,” Damian signed.

Dr. Ho nodded, “I think that’s a good idea. It’ll be a few minutes.”

“Why,” Damian asked.

“You’re in an Intensive Care Unit. We have to get him scrubbed and gowned before we can let him in.”

Damian sighed and nodded. Dr. Ho left the room and Damian closed his eyes.

_Damn. What the hell happened? How did I lose five days? Father must be beside himself. Dr. Ho just said Father, though. Where’s Alfred? My back really hurts, and I can barely breathe, but I know I’m going to cry as soon as I see Father. I want a hug, and he can’t give me one, if I’m waiting for skin grafts. I wonder how many of my scars got burned off?_

_Robin. My beautiful Robin. I don’t know what to do if you aren’t okay. I’ve never faced a potential loss like this before. Wow, what a shitty year. First, that girl is killed instead of me. Then, asshole leaves. Then, Jason nearly dies. Now, this. We must have pissed off the wrong person and got cursed. How long is it going to take to get Father ready? I’ll just rest a little, until they bring him in._

_An Hour Later…_

Damian’s eyes flickered open to find an intense set of familiar blue eyes staring back at him. Damian released a breath and reached for the man. He stopped and pulled his arm back with a cringe as his shoulder stretched and sent a flare of pain through his system.

Bruce gave a sympathetic wince and said softly, “They won’t let me touch you, anyway, Damian, so try not to move.”

Damian just now noticed the plastic sheet surrounding his bed. He held up a hand and signed, “Why the wall?”

“Isolation protocol, until they can do your last skin graft,” Bruce said.

“When,” Damian signed.

“Tomorrow morning,” Bruce said.

Damian looked thoughtful, which just barely edged out the pained look that had held sway on his face since Bruce had first laid eyes on his son. “What time is it now,” Damian signed.

“About ten or eleven at night,” Bruce said, only glancing at his watch, “I’m not quite sure. My watch is still on Gotham time. Your surgery is at seven tomorrow morning.”

Damian looked around the room quickly, then moved his hand so only Bruce could see it, “I’m scared, Dad.”

Bruce sighed and whispered, “I know, kiddo. You did a good job of scaring all of us.”

Damian looked away and signed, “Sorry.”

Bruce shook his head, “No. There is nothing you could have done to prevent this. This was one hundred percent out of your control. Don’t be sorry.”

Damian turned back and stared into Bruce’s eyes for several long minutes. Bruce could read the thought found in the blue orbs, and turned to the medical staff.

“Can I be alone with my son for a minute, please?”

The nurses all looked at Dr. Ho, who said, “If you stay on the outside of the isolation curtain. I don’t want to risk there being any chance of infection before his surgery tomorrow.”

Damian signed something, and Dr. Ho asked, “What was that?”

Bruce had to bite his lip for a second before he could translate for the doctor. “He asked if there was any way he could hold my hand.”

Dr. Ho sighed, “Sorry. Not directly. Not until after your surgery.”

Damian sighed heavily and signed, “Never mind.”

“You don’t want to be alone, Damian,” Bruce asked.

Damian shook his head and signed, “I do. I’ll hold your hand after surgery.”

Bruce nodded, then looked at the staff, “We don’t have to worry about rigging something up. Just give us a few minutes, please.”

“I can give you ten minutes before we need to do his next checks,” Dr. Ho said as he ushered the nurses out of the room.

Once the door was closed, Bruce whispered to his son, “Let it out, Damian. You have to. You can’t keep this inside.”

Damian’s will crumbled as the tears nearly shot out of his eyes. He pulled the blanket up to wipe his face as he signed, “It hurts, Dad. It hurts so bad.”

“I know, pal,” Bruce said, barely keeping his own tears at bay, “but you’ll get better. It’s going to take a long time, and I know that’s the last thing you want to hear, but you’re strong. You can beat this. This won’t stop you.”

Damian stopped crying long enough to roll his eyes and sign, “I didn’t say this would stop me. I said it hurts.”

Bruce smiled, “I know, kiddo. I hate seeing you this way. I had to distract you.”

Damian wiped his eyes again and mouthed, “Thank you.”

Bruce took a deep breath, “What happened, Kiddo? Do you remember?”

Damian coughed as he tried to talk and failed. He shook his head as he signed, “We went to Prom. Her friends got a hotel room for after the dance, but we didn’t like the plans her friend’s dates had, so we went home. We slept in the guest room, so we wouldn’t wake Robin’s parents up. Next thing I remember is waking up here. Has it really been five days?”

“I’m afraid so, kiddo,” Bruce said, “You don’t remember anything else?”

“Nothing,” Damian signed while shaking his head gently. “What did Mr. Abbey say? Wait, are they alright?”

Bruce sighed, “Mike and Lisa weren’t injured. Mike got a report from the Fire Marshall yesterday. It was an electrical fire. It started in the fuse panel in the garage. All indications show it being an accident.”

Damian’s eyes widened, “The guest room is over the garage.”

“Yes, it is,” Bruce said, “Well, it was. The, um, their house is gone, kiddo. It burned fast. The firefighters barely got you and Robin out before the house started collapsing.”

The door opened, and Bruce said, “Nurse, I was promised ten minutes alone with my son. It hasn’t been ten minutes…Lisa?”

Damian tried to roll over to see his girlfriend’s mother, but couldn’t.

Lisa spoke up and asked, “How is he?”

“Alive,” Bruce said, “We’ll know more about recovery time after his surgery tomorrow.”

“Is he awake,” Lisa asked with a smile.

Damian raised his hand and gave a small wave.

“I have good news, Damian,” Lisa said, “Robin just woke up.”

Damian nearly jumped out of his bed, then whimpered in pain before signing rapidly to Bruce.

Bruce held up a hand to his son, “Whoa, slow down, kiddo.”

Damian gave a soft growl and signed slower. Bruce looked up and said, “Damian asked, what are you doing here? Go be with Robin, and tell her that I’m okay.”

Lisa gave a sympathetic smile, which wasn’t seen by the teen, “I’ll tell her, but she won’t believe that any more than I do. Not with the view of your back that I’m getting right now.”

Lisa left the room. There was fear in Damian’s eyes as he asked, “Is it really that bad?”

“I don’t know,” Bruce said, “Your entire back is covered in bandages. Dr. Ho said you’ve already had two skin grafts, and you’ll get another one in the morning. I don’t think we’ll see what your back actually looks like for a while, but I know you have a pretty vivid imagination.”

Damian looked down, his fears being all but confirmed. He was trying to control his reaction, but he couldn’t stop himself from trembling.

With a shaky hand, Damian signed, “It can’t be any worse than it already was.”

Bruce had to bite his lip hard as he saw a tear escape from the corner of Damian’s eye, to stay strong for his son and not cry with him. “Let’s just take it one day at a time. Get some rest, son.”

Damian nodded as a nurse walked into the room and asked, “How is everything going in here?”

Bruce looked up, “He’s in a lot of pain. Can we do anything about that?”

The nurse smiled and nodded, “Absolutely. In fact, Dr. Ho’s orders were to put him to sleep.” The nurse walked around so Damian could see her, “Just rest, cutie. The next time you wake up will be after your surgery.”

_Two Days Later…_

Damian hated sleeping on his stomach. It felt like too helpless a position to him. There was so much of your surroundings you can’t see when you’re on your stomach.

The skin graft operation had gone well, but Dr. Ho wanted there to be no pressure on any of his grafts for a week. That left Damian laying on his stomach for hours at a time.

That led to Damian’s second complaint, hospital gowns. No pressure on the grafts also meant nothing but bandages covering his back. The nurses would only pull his blanket high enough to just barely cover his butt, and snapped at him every time he tried to pull it higher, even when he complained of being cold and tried to put a pitiful look on his face. Not even a shaky lower lip and fake tears had convinced the nurses to allow Damian to be covered up.

It was now seven days after the fire, and Damian couldn’t remember a longer time in his life spent naked. He was starting to think they were keeping him exposed purposely to make him uncomfortable.

Damian glanced over as the door to his room opened, and Bruce walked in. The man smiled as he saw Damian’s eyes following him.

“Hey! You’re awake, kiddo. How you feeling?”

Damian gave a light shrug of only his left shoulder. Dr. Ho wanted Damian to move his right shoulder as little as possible. He signed to his father, “Is Wayne Tower still standing?”

Bruce snorted a laugh. Before Damian’s nap, Bruce had taken a call from Jean, his long-time secretary. She had really called to check on Damian’s condition, but the conversation ended up covering the business, too.

“Tim and Lucius seem to be holding down the fort,” Bruce said as he sat at the side of the bed and grabbed Damian’s hand. A day after the last skin graft surgery, Dr. Ho had eased the isolation protocols, allowing Bruce to touch Damian without several layers of gloves and clean suits.

Bruce had spent every second possible since holding Damian’s hand, just to convince himself that his son was still alive, and mostly whole.

“Let me borrow your phone,” Damian whispered hoarsely.

“Hey, no talking,” Bruce said, “Doctor’s orders.”

“You’re holding my mouth,” Damian whispered again.

That confused Bruce, until he looked down at their hands. Bruce smiled and let go of Damian’s hand.

Damian signed, “I’m better at signing with my right hand.”

“Sorry, Kiddo. I want to hug you, but we have to settle for holding your hand. You aren’t allowed to talk yet, and you probably don’t have much more than a whisper right now. What good will my phone do you?”

Damian signed, “I want to hear Alfred and Tim. Just have them talk; I just want to hear them.”

As he had done quite often over the last week, Bruce bit the inside of his cheek, to keep from tearing up. _Damian wants to hear Alfred and Tim, just because they’re family, and hearing their voices will settle him._ Bruce pulled his phone out of his pocket and asked, “Who first?”

“Tim,” Damian signed.

Bruce dialed the contact, but Damian reached out and snatched the phone before Bruce could put it to his ear.

“Hey, Bruce,” Tim’s voice sounded through the phone, “Jean said she just talked to you.”

_Uh-oh. I should have let Father talk first._ “Not Father,” Damian whispered.

Tim’s eyes widened four thousand miles away, “Damian! Oh, it’s good to hear your…whisper, I guess. Bruce said you still weren’t able to talk yesterday. Does this mean you’re getting better?”

“Able. Not allowed,” Damian gasped.

Bruce pulled the phone out of Damian’s hand and said, “Hi, Tim. Damian is still not allowed to talk. Even those few words will earn him an evil look from the nurses. Look, he just wants to hear what’s going on in the outside world. Just talk to him. Don’t ask him questions, though. I don’t want him trying to talk.”

Bruce handed the phone back to Damian, and Tim could hear the teen breathing. “Let’s see. How do I have a one-sided conversation without someone trying to put me in the rubber room? Um, don’t answer that. The weather is pretty nice today. It’s been warming up quite a bit over the last few days. I think it’s going to be an early summer this year. I took Titus out to play fetch yesterday. He didn’t try to bite me this time. He misses you, though. I can tell. Don’t worry about him, though. I’m taking care of him for you.”

Damian sniffed, suddenly missing his dog.

Tim cringed at the noise, “I guess I shouldn’t have started with that one, but I don’t want you to worry about Titus. Let’s see, what else is going on? Oh, Foundation High School had its first recipient earn the McCartney Scholarship, and we got a report that one of our first graduates is about to graduate from college. She took advanced programs and a heavy workload, and is graduating early. I just thought you’d like to know about that.

“Um, Jason has been filling in for Bruce at night. The city has been pretty quiet. His voice isn’t quite as convincing as your impersonation was, but we’re making it work.”

Tim took a breath, “I talked to Wally a couple days ago. The twins were wondering when training will pick up again. I know you told them that you were taking the month off, but I didn’t know if you wanted them knowing about…this.”

Damian pulled the phone away from his ear and wiped at his eyes. _This is too much. I just wanted to hear Tim’s voice, not be reminded of all the things I’m supposed to be doing, instead of being in a hospital bed._

Damian handed the phone back to Bruce, and Bruce couldn’t help but notice the quaver in Damian’s hand. Damian turned his face away, but Bruce could still hear the sniffle. Bruce reached out to pat Damian’s back, but stopped himself before making contact. He didn’t know where he could touch his son without hurting him.

Instead, Bruce put the phone to his ear and cut off his third son, who thought he was still talking to Damian. “Tim, thanks.”

Tim sighed heavily, “I knew I shouldn’t have started with Titus, or talked about his team.”

“It’s okay, Tim. Really, it is. Being in a hospital is not easy. He’s going to be here for a while, and that’s hard to take.”

“Is he getting any better,” Tim asked in a pained voice.

Bruce looked at Damian’s bandaged back, “Every day, Tim. It’s a fight, but he’ll win.”

“Keep me updated, okay,” Tim said, “I think Alfred is going to fly out this weekend.”

“He’s our next call,” Bruce said, “Talk to you later, Tim.”

A nurse walked into the room and started checking Damian’s vitals. She then pulled Damian’s blanket down and started rubbing burn cream on the burns on Damian’s legs. Damian nearly jumped out of the bed as he turned and slapped the nurse’s hand away.

“Stop! What do you think you’re doing,” Damian gasped, in the strongest tone he could summon. It still sounded like a thin, raspy shadow of Damian’s normal voice.

The nurse, an older woman with short, curly hair, took a step back and said, “This is your burn ointment. It’s been on your chart for days.”

Damian tried not to snarl at the nurse, “I don’t know you. Don’t just assume you can start touching me. Talk to me first. Introduce yourself. Tell me what you’re doing before you do anything. Just because you seem to work here does not mean you have unrestricted access to my body; you’re not my girlfriend.”

The nurse glanced up at Bruce, who looked like he was torn between admonishing Damian for the outburst and laughing out loud. He shrugged at the nurse and mouthed, _Sorry about this._

The nurse looked back at Damian and said, “Okay, it’s time for your burn cream. Is that okay?”

“I haven’t seen you here before. What’s your name,” Damian asked.

“I’m Shirley,” the nurse said, “I’m covering for Michelle today.”

_I know Michelle, she’s been my afternoon nurse._ “Let me see the burn cream,” Damian said.

Shirley held up the container so Damian could read the label. “Can we get started now,” Shirley asked. “Dr. Ho wants you to get some rest, and he’ll be in to check your grafts in the morning.”

“Put on a glove, please,” Damian said.

The nurse rolled her eyes. She was already wearing gloves; which Damian didn’t seem to notice earlier. She made a show of replacing her gloves, to put Damian at ease, and said, “I’m going to start at your knees and work my way up to your lower back. Since you seem to have a problem with people touching you, I will let you know that putting the burn ointment on will involve touching your tushy.”

Damian looked at the woman strangely, “My what?”

“Your tushy,” Shirley repeated. Damian just stared blankly at the woman, so she elaborated, “Your rear end. Your seat. Derriere. Your butt.”

“Oh,” Damian said, “Why didn’t you just say that in the first place?”

Shirley smiled, “Have you really never heard it called a tushy before?”

“No,” Damian said, laying down again.

“So, is it okay if we get started now,” Shirley asked.

Damian took a breath, “Since you told me who you are and what you are going to do, yes. Just…talk to me first before you do anything to me.”

Shirley shrugged, “Okay, hon. This might be cold.”

“That will be a welcome relief,” Damian said, laying his head down.

Damian grew a soft smile and closed his eyes at the cooling sensation the cream provided over the inflamed skin on his legs.

Bruce poked at Damian’s elbow, one of the few places he could touch his son that wasn’t burned, and said, “Hey, the doctor said you aren’t supposed to talk. That includes yelling at nurses.”

Damian sighed and spoke softly, “My throat is feeling better. I’m tired of signing everything.”

Bruce nodded, “Your voice does sound better than I thought it would. You still have a long way to go before you sound like yourself again, though. How do your lungs feel?”

Damian shook his head, “It still hurts to breathe.”

“Then, you should relax,” Bruce said, “Did you want to call Alfred now?”

Damian nodded lightly, “Yeah.”

Bruce dialed the contact, and the call was answered before the first ring ended.

“Master Bruce, is everything alright,” Alfred asked nervously.

Bruce gave a small smile, “So far, Alfred. He’s awake, and wanted to talk to you. Thing is, he’s not supposed to be talking.”

“I see, Master Bruce,” Alfred said, “I shall endeavor to not require responses from the young sir.”

“Thanks, Alfred,” Bruce said. He handed the phone to Damian as the nurse walked out of the room, “Here, keep it short. You need your rest. Don’t talk.”

Damian pressed the phone to his ear and whispered softly, “Hello, Alfred.”

Alfred took a breath and smiled to himself, “Hello, young sir. I understand that talking is forbidden, so I will speak. I am very glad to hear that you are still with us. You gave us quite a scare, young man. Rest assured, whatever your injuries, you will recover rapidly. That is your way. Your father will be there for you for as long as it takes for you to heal. That is your only worry now, to get better. Let the doctors and nurses do their jobs, and you will be better in no time.”

“Two months isn’t ‘no time’,” Damian whispered.

“Is that the current prediction,” Alfred asked, “Then, that is what it will take. You heal quickly; you always have. Perhaps you will defy their predictions?”

“That’s what I’m hoping.”

“Well, young sir, is there anything I need to know right now,” Alfred asked, “Anything that cannot wait until I see you? I shall be traveling to Alaska Thursday afternoon.”

Damian gave a small smile, “What day is it now? I’ve been asleep a lot here.”

Alfred gave an unseen smile, “It is Tuesday, Master Damian.”

Damian released a soft breath, “Just that I miss you, and I’m sorry I’m causing all this trouble.”

“It is not your fault, young man,” Alfred said softly, “You and Miss Robin will recover quickly, and this whole episode will be nothing but an interesting story told around the dinner table. Is there anything else, young sir? I have several preparations to make before I leave.”

Damian’s smile was a bit shaky as he said, “No, Alfred. I’ll see you in a couple days.”

Damian handed the phone back to Bruce, who ended the call and put the phone back in his pocket. Damian stared at his Father for several minutes before taking a breath and whispering, “Father?”

“Yeah, kiddo?”

“I want a hug.”

Bruce reached over and rested a hand on the top of Damian’s head, “I know, kiddo. So do I. We can’t do that until Dr. Ho says it’s okay.”

“I know,” Damian said softly, burying his face in his pillow.

Bruce leaned over and kissed the back of Damian’s head before taking hold of Damian’s hand again.

_Wednesday…_

Damian laid impatiently in his hospital bed, waiting for his father to return to the room. Damian had made one simple request of his father; one the man had been happy to fulfill. Now, forty minutes after Bruce had left to take care of business, Damian was anxiously awaiting his return.

The hospital room door opened, and Damian nearly jumped out of his bed. “Well? Did you see her? How is she?”

“Settle down, kiddo, and lower your voice. Dr. Ho still hasn’t given you clearance to speak again,” Bruce said, sitting back in the chair next to Damian’s bed.

Damian sighed impatiently, “I want to see Robin, but no one will let me out of this bed. Please, Father, how is she?”

“I wasn’t able to see her, pal,” Bruce said.

“What do you mean?”

“The doctors wouldn’t let me in her room,” Bruce said, “They said immediate family only.”

Damian shook his head, “We _are_ family. Didn’t you tell them that?”

Bruce smirked, “She isn’t Robin Wayne yet, Damian.”

“So? I want to see her. Can’t we be put in the same room?”

“Nope,” Bruce said, before gesturing around the room, “You do realize that all of this equipment is monitoring you and, basically, keeping you alive. Robin has just as much equipment dedicated to her care. I was able to see that much through the window in her door. Even if they did put you two in the same room, there would be so many machines crammed into the room that you two wouldn’t be able to see each other.”

“At least we’d be able to talk,” Damian said. He then looked at as much of the room as he could see without turning his head, “I’m not hooked up to all of this, and I’m doing more to keep myself alive than any of these machines are.”

“You’re hooked up to a lot more of them than I would like you to be,” Bruce growled.

Damian sighed, “Well, if you couldn’t see her, where were you for so long?”

“I did the next best thing,” Bruce said, “I talked to Mike.”

Damian’s eyes widened, “You did? How is she?”

_I didn’t say she, but I guess he can be excused for being anxious._ “She’s doing okay. She has burns mostly to her left side. Before you get nervous, her burns aren’t nearly as bad as yours. Only one small section of third degree burns, and the rest are second degree burns, like your legs. Robin didn’t need any skin grafts, or surgeries at all.”

Damian released a breath that he didn’t realize he had been holding, “Good. She’s okay, then?”

“I didn’t say that, Kiddo,” Bruce said, “Mike said she’s been having breathing problems. She’s on a ventilator twenty-four hours a day right now. Mike said the doctors are saying she will probably have breathing issues for the rest of her life. She’s young, and strong, and she’ll get better, but it’s going to take some time.”

“Ho-how much time,” Damian asked nervously.

“Years, kiddo,” Bruce said. 

Damian’s breath hitched in his throat, and he couldn’t stop the tear that rolled down his cheek.

Bruce squeezed Damian’s hand and continued, “She’s just like you, Damian. She’s getting better every day. Like you, she will walk out of this hospital. She’s just going to have to be careful with her physical activity and exertion from now on. By the time you two get married, she will have recovered to a point where it won’t bother her anymore.”

“W-what about be-between now and then,” Damian asked softly.

Bruce took a deep breath, “She will probably have to be on oxygen for a while after leaving the hospital. She won’t be running any marathons anytime soon. She plays the flute, right?”

“Yeah.”

Bruce shook his head, “That’s going to have to stop. Maybe you can teach her the piano or guitar, or something. Wind instruments are out of the question, though.”

Damian stared at Bruce for a minute, his look growing increasingly stony. Finally, he said, “I need to hug her.”

“Your arms aren’t that long,” Bruce said, “You can’t reach her room from here. You’re here, until the doctors say differently.”

“I hate this, Father,” Damian grumbled.

“I know, kiddo,” Bruce said, “This isn’t what any of us are supposed to be doing right now. We just have to get past this, then we can figure out how to move on.”

Damian shook his head, but didn’t say anything for several long seconds. He closed his eyes and asked, “How are Mr. and Mrs. Abbey?”

_Good, he did ask._ “They’re doing about as well as I am right now. None of us like seeing our kids in the hospital. They weren’t injured in the fire, if that’s what you’re asking. As you two get better, the three of us will get better.”

Dr. Ho walked into the room with a nurse and smiled at his patient, “How are you feeling today, Damian?”

Damian sighed, “I’ve been better. It hurts to breathe, and I’m sick and tired of laying on my stomach.”

_Among other things going wrong in your mind right now,_ Bruce thought.

“Hurts to breathe, huh,” Dr. Ho asked, “I told you it was too soon to take you off the oxygen. We’ll have to put you back on it.”

Damian grimaced, “Does it have to be the mask? Can’t you put me on the…that one that goes up your nose?”

Dr. Ho smiled, “The nasal cannula? I think we can get away with that one for now, but if your pain while breathing doesn’t ease up in the next couple days, we’ll go back to the mask.”

“Okay,” Damian said in a sigh as the nurse hooked him back up to the oxygen. Damian would only admit it to himself, but within a minute of being back on the oxygen, he found his pain lessening. _If I tell the doctor this, he’ll just use it as an excuse to say that I never should have been off of the oxygen in the first place._

“How about your back,” Dr. Ho asked.

Damian shook his head gently, “I don’t really feel much of anything. I guess there is an upside to burned and fused nerve endings.”

“It’ll get better,” Dr. Ho said, “I’m going to take your bandages off and take a look, okay?”

“Do I have a choice,” Damian asked.

Dr. Ho shrugged, “No, not really. Okay, lower back first. Mr. Wayne, you can wait in the hall, if you don’t want to see this.”

Bruce stood up, “I _don’t_ want to see this, but there’s no way in hell I’m leaving my son.”

“Then, put a mask on, please,” Dr. Ho said.

Bruce covered his face as Dr. ho peeled the gauze off of Damian’s lower back.

“Ahh,” Dr. Ho said.

“What is it,” Damian asked nervously.

“It looks great,” Dr. Ho said, “It’s adhering perfectly. No signs of seepage or rejection. It’s even close to your natural skin tone. I think this one will blend in perfectly.”

“What does that mean,” Damian asked curiously.

Dr. Ho smiled as he walked into Damian’s field of view, “A year from now, no one will be able to tell you had a skin graft there. Let’s take a look a number two.”

Dr. Ho peeled a bandage off of Damian’s right side, “That looks good, too. You’ve been moving a bit too much, though. There are a couple spots that will require some extra healing time. Didn’t quite get the skin tone right on this one.”

“I’m more concerned about him having skin, than skin tone,” Bruce said.

“How off is it,” Damian asked.

Bruce moved to the head of the bed, so Damian could see him, “Robin will still love you.”

Damian gave a small smile, “That bad, huh?”

“Alright, number three,” Dr. Ho said.

He pulled the bandage lightly, and everyone in the room knew there was a problem. Damian hissed sharply as the bandage stuck to the graft.

“Oh, Damian,” Dr. Ho said, “I told you not to move so much.”

“You also told me not to talk,” Damian said in a pained voice, “I can’t sign as well with my left hand.”

Dr. Ho released a breath, “Damian, can you sleep on your side without rolling over in the night?”

Damian looked uncertain, “I prefer to sleep on my side, but I can’t guarantee not rolling.”

“Do you think, if we propped some pillows up, you wouldn’t roll over,” Dr. Ho asked.

Damian smirked, “Let me sleep with Robin. If I have her in my arms, I can guarantee I won’t roll.”

Bruce gave a world-weary sigh, “This is an ICU, Damian, not a motel room.”

Dr. Ho shook his head, “In that case, you’ll have to stay on your stomach.”

“Can I at least stand up,” Damian asked, “I’ve been in this bed for over a week.”

Dr. Ho thought for a minute, “We can try that. Don’t put any pressure on your right arm, and try not to bend. How do your legs feel, by the way?”

“Like a sunburn on steroids,” Damian said.

The doctor nodded, “That’s basically what it is. It’s going to take some time to fade. Unfortunately, the color will probably stay.”

Damian cocked his head, “You mean, I’m going to have a red ass for the rest of my life?”

“Probably not your whole life, but it’ll be red for quite a while to come.”

Damian sighed and looked at Bruce, “Jason must never know about this, Father.”

Bruce smiled, and Dr. Ho asked, “Who is Jason?”

“My older brother,” Damian said, “The one who likes to torment me. Okay, how do we do this? How do I get out of this bed?”

“Let me examine this third graft first,” Dr. Ho said, “This will probably hurt.”

Dr. Ho peeled the gauze off as gently as he could, but it still wasn’t gentle enough to keep Damian out of pain. Damian was biting his lip hard as each fiber of the gauze felt like it was taking some skin with it. The whole graft was inflamed, and it was seeping and bleeding around the edges.

Dr. Ho shook his head, “I’m going to start you on antibiotics. We’re going to try to save this graft, if we can. You’re going to need to be more careful. I’d like to sling your right arm, to keep you from moving it, but the strap would go pretty much right over the graft, and that won’t help anything.”

“Just say I’m allowed to talk again, and I won’t need to move my arm anymore,” Damian said.

Dr. Ho nodded, “You can talk, just take it easy. Don’t speak any louder than you’re currently speaking, and don’t talk too much.”

“Thanks, Doc,” Damian said softly.

“Okay, here’s the plan,” Dr. Ho said, “Since you want to get up, here’s how we’re going to do it. This is going to hurt a bit. We’re going to roll you onto your left side. Then, we’re going to turn you until your legs are off the side of the bed. Here’s where the pain comes in. You’re going to sit and put your feet on the floor. You’re then going to grab one of us, and we will pull you up.”

Damian nodded, “I can handle that.”

“Once you’re up, a nurse will change the sheets and give you a sponge bath. We can put a gown on you after that, and I’ll see what I can do about your shoulder.”

“Can I go see Robin,” Damian asked.

“Absolutely not,” both Dr. Ho and Bruce said at the same time.

Damian rolled his eyes, “Can I at least go to the bathroom?”

“No need,” Dr. Ho said, “You’re on a catheter.”

Damian looked at the doctor strangely, and Bruce cringed as he explained, “They inserted a tube, leading into your bladder. That way, you don’t have to get out of bed to use the bathroom.”

“Inserted a tube _where_ ,” Damian asked slowly.

Bruce met Damian’s eyes seriously, “The most direct route to your bladder. Haven’t you noticed that you haven’t had to pee over the last week?”

“I did find that kind of weird,” Damian said, “What am I going to see when I stand up?”

“If you don’t look down, you won’t see anything,” Bruce said.

“And, when I look down?”

Bruce sighed, “You’ll see a tube where you will think one doesn’t belong. Think about it this way. It’s been there for a week, and you didn’t notice it until we told you about it.”

Damian thought for a second, then shrugged lightly, “Okay, let’s do this. Father, I want you to pull me up.”

“I thought you might,” Bruce said.

A nurse took Bruce’s place as he walked to the other side of the bed. The nurse gently rolled Damian onto his side. The nurse and Dr. Ho then spun Damian, and the teen hissed as he bent his knees and sat up.

As Damian settled into a seated position, his eyes widened, “Ow, ow, ow!”

“You okay, pal,” Bruce asked.

Damian was breathing hard, “He’s right. It’s like sitting on a really bad sunburn.”

“Feet down,” Bruce said, “Let’s get you off your butt.”

“Can the bed go any lower,” Damian asked, hating the idea of scooting on second degree burns.

The bed sank until Damian’s toes touched the tile floor. Bruce smirked, knowing his son, “Cold floor, son?”

Damian nodded, “Yes, but it’s okay. Forty percent of my body still feels like it’s on fire. A little cold feels good right now.”

Bruce had to swallow hard at Damian’s statement. He held out a hand and said, “On your feet, kiddo.”

Damian grabbed Bruce’s arm and let the man pull him to his feet. Damian did not do a good job of hiding the fact that standing hurt. His eyes widened and he held his breath, trying to control the sensation.

“Breathe, Damian,” Bruce said.

“Don’t let go,” Damian whispered as he locked his knees against the pronounced shake in his legs.

“Wasn’t planning on it,” Bruce said, “You’ve been in bed for a week and a half. Your legs are going to be a little weak.”

_A little weak is one thing,_ Damian thought, _this is something else. I shouldn’t do this for too long._

Already, the pain was subsiding, and though he started breathing easier, Damian could feel what little energy he had starting to leave him.

“How are you doing, Damian,” Dr. Ho asked.

“Do whatever you were going to do quickly,” Damian said softly, “I’m a bit weaker than I thought I’d be.”

“Do you think you can take a couple steps, just to the end of the bed,” Dr. Ho asked.

Damian turned his head and looked at the short distance. Judging the space in straight-legged, shuffling steps, Damian nodded. “Let’s try it.”

Keeping his right arm firmly pressed to his chest and his left hand firmly clamped around Bruce’s forearm, Damian waddled the three and a half feet to the end of the bed. Two nurses swept in and changed the linens in less than a minute, while a third got Damian’s permission to gently sponge Damian down.

Dr. Ho started to bandage Damian’s shoulder after cleaning the inflamed graft, but Damian said weakly, “Can you not do that just yet, Doctor?”

“What’s up, Damian,” Dr. Ho asked.

Damian looked up at Bruce, “Father, I want to see what it looks like. Can you take a picture of my back before he bandages it again?”

Bruce winced, glancing over Damian’s shoulder at the boy’s back, “Are you sure, pal?”

“I am, Father,” Damian said.

“Can you stand on your own?”

“I’m good, now.”

Bruce pulled out his phone, and Damian said, “Be sure to get my legs, too, Father.”

Bruce took a couple quick pictures before Dr. Ho insisted on bandaging the two upper grafts again, and a hospital gown was draped over the teen.

Once he was dressed, Damian grabbed Bruce’s forearm again, for support. Bruce stepped forward until he was mere inches from his son. He placed a hand gently on the back of Damian’s head and pulled his son in, until Damian was leaning against Bruce. Damian turned his head and laid it on Bruce’s chest as he wrapped his left arm around Bruce’s back as tightly as he could.

“I’ve wanted to do this for days,” Damian mumbled into Bruce’s chest.

“Me too, pal,” Bruce said, allowing the quake to enter his lower lip, since his son couldn’t see it. “I take it you don’t want to see your pictures right now?”

Damian shook his head gently, then spoke in a voice that was just above a breath, “Just hold me, Dad.”

Bruce squeezed his eyes shut at the soft request. _We came so close to losing him. I don’t know what I would do without him anymore. God, I love this kid. I wish I could just take him home right now. I should call Leslie, and let her know what happened. That’s assuming that Alfred didn’t already take care of it._

Dr. Ho returned to the room to find Damian clinging to Bruce, while the adult gently massaged the back of Damian’s neck. Damian looked like he was a minute away from falling asleep.

The doctor spoke softly, “I think that is enough for one day. I’m surprised you’re still standing, Damian.”

“I don’t want to go back to laying on my stomach,” Damian mumbled, not opening his eyes.

“If you can stand the pain in the butt, you can sit up for a while,” Dr. Ho said, “We’ll just have to prop you up, so you don’t put any pressure on your shoulder graft.”

Damian gave a large sigh, “Maybe tomorrow, Dr. Ho. Sitting on it for the minute it took me to be able to stand up was a lot more painful that I thought it would be.”

Dr. Ho looked down, “Damian, your legs are shaking. I’m ordering you back to bed. This was a good start, but you are a long way from going ambulatory. You need to pace yourself.”

Damian looked at the bed, “How do we do this without hurting. I normally don’t complain about pain, but I’m hurting right now.”

Bruce looked down with a smile, “I have an idea, if you trust me.”

Damian glanced up, “What is it?”

Bruce stepped away from Damian, and noticed the way Damian’s look fell when they separated. “Lean forward.”

Damian leaned a couple inches. Bruce nodded and said, “Keep going.”

“Father, I’m going to fall over,” Damian said.

“I know,” Bruce said, “That’s the idea.”

Damian stopped leaning, “Father, I said I wanted to get into bed with no pain. I can feel how hard the floor is with my feet. I don’t need to feel it with my face.”

“That’s why I said to trust me. Now, keep leaning forward. Keep your body stiff, and trust me.”

Damian fell forward in a plank, and Bruce swept his boy up in his arms. Bruce carried Damian over to the bed and gently laid him on his stomach.

“There. That didn’t hurt, did it,” Bruce asked softly.

“Thank you, Father,” Damian said, just as softly.

“Get some rest, Damian. I’ll check on you later,” Dr. Ho said.

Damian, more tired from his expedition out of bed than he thought he would be, was asleep before Dr. Ho left the room.

_A Couple Days Later…_

Damian awoke with a start. His head felt foggy, he was feeling unnaturally warm, and he was slightly confused. Damian looked around his room and found himself alone. _Where’s Father?_

The door to Damian’s room was open, and he could hear a conversation taking place in the hall.

“Are you sure I can’t see him, Doctor?”

“Only immediate family are allowed in the rooms. I’m sorry, but it’s hospital policy.”

_Like hell,_ Damian thought, _I recognize that voice, and I want it._

Damian pressed the call button on his bed, but wasn’t ready for the response. Since Damian was still housed in an Intensive Care Unit, the call button was answered by three running nurses, responding to the loud buzzer.

“Is everything alright? What’s wrong,” a nurse asked in a panicked voice.

“Can I see the doctor, please,” Damian asked.

A nurse ran for the door and called out, “Dr. Ho, he needs you.”

Dr. Ho ran into the room, “Get vitals. Get his next round of medications ready. Damian, what’s wrong?”

Damian looked around at the response warily, “Nothing requiring this level of activity. I heard you talking in the hall. I want to see that man.”

The doctor and nurses relaxed as Dr. Ho called a false alarm. “I’m sorry, Damian. Hospital policy. Immediate family only.”

Damian raised an eyebrow, “You let Mrs. Abbey in when she told us that Robin was awake.”

“We didn’t let her in,” Dr. Ho said, “We were just too busy to stop her.”

Damian took a breath, “The man you were talking to is my Grandfather, and I’d like to see him.”

The doctor shook his head, “Why didn’t he just say so? I’ll show him in.”

The doctor left, and returned, and Damian’s smile grew as the suited man took the chair next to the bed.

“Thank you, Doctor,” Damian said.

“I’ll be back in a few minutes for your next checks,” Dr. Ho said, leaving the room.

Damian took a deep breath, “Hello, Alfred.”

“Oh, Master Damian,” Alfred said, taking in the sight of his youngest charge, and feeling a lump forming in his throat, “You have looked better, my boy.”

“I know,” Damian said.

“If you would please tell me, what was the emergency in here just a minute ago,” Alfred asked.

“Dr. Ho wasn’t going to let you in,” Damian said, then gave a small smile, “You didn’t fly four thousand miles to sit in the lobby. I wanted to see you, so I told him that you are my Grandfather. I guess you’ll just have to play along, otherwise the staff will kick you out.”

Alfred nodded sagely, “I see. You must be feeling better, if you are lying to the doctors.”

“Not well enough to get out of this room,” Damian grumbled, “Not even well enough to get out of this bed. Not even well enough to sit up.”

“You’ll get there, young sir.”

Damian looked at the butler for a second, then asked, “Alfred, can you sit on my left side?”

“I suppose so, Master Damian,” Alfred said, moving the chair to the other side of the bed, “Might I ask why?”

Damian turned his head to follow the butler, then held his left hand out to the aged man. Alfred took the hand gently, and Damian said, “The graft on my right shoulder isn’t doing too well. The doctors don’t want me to move my right arm, if I don’t have to.”

Alfred smiled as Damian squeezed Alfred’s hand.

The pair sat in silence for several minutes, until Alfred noticed a bead of sweat roll down Damian’s forehead, and the grip strength in Damian’s left hand dropped significantly.

“Are you warm, Master Damian? Are you feeling alright?”

“My body has felt like it’s on fire since I first woke up,” Damian murmured weakly, “I’ve felt this way since I woke up.”

“Felt which way, young man,” Alfred asked, reaching over to feel the teen’s clammy, heated forehead. “Dear me. The flames may be out, but you are burning up, my boy.”

Damian didn’t react to the declaration.

“Master Damian?”

Damian’s eyes were closed, and he didn’t respond.

_He’s unconscious,_ Alfred thought, _and I do not believe he just fell asleep._

One of Damian’s monitors started beeping insistently, and a pair of nurses ran into the room.

“What happened,” one nurse asked Alfred as the butler moved away from the bed.

“We were talking, and he suddenly lost consciousness,” Alfred said, “He was feverish before that happened.”

A doctor ran into the room, “What do we have?”

“High fever, sudden loss of consciousness, depressed respirations, O2 sats falling.”

“Increase his oxygen level and take a blood draw for labs,” the doctor said, “Is he breathing on his own?”

“Barely, doctor.”

“What’s his temperature reading,” the doctor asked.

A nurse stuck a thermometer in Damian’s mouth. Several long, tense seconds later, she gave the reading, “One-oh-five, point two.”

The doctor shook his head, “Hang another unit of antibiotics.” The doctor turned to Alfred, who was still standing by the door, “Sir, you need to wait outside.”

Alfred was ushered out of the room by a very insistent nurse, and just barely missed being hit by the closing door. Alfred immediately pulled out his cell phone and dialed Bruce’s contact.

“Hello, Alfred.”

“Master Bruce, where are you?”

Bruce sounded confused, “I’m in the lobby, waiting for you. Did your plane land yet?”

“We must have missed each other, then,” Alfred said quickly, “I’m up in the ICU. You need to get back here. Now.”

Bruce’s blood turned to ice in his veins as he turned and ran for the elevators, “What’s wrong, Alfred?”

Alfred took a nervous breath, “Master Damian has spiked a fever. He’s unconscious, and barely breathing.”

“Don’t call me! Call a doctor,” Bruce nearly yelled as he got into an elevator car and rapidly pressed the button for the ICU floor.

Alfred rolled his eyes, “Come now, Sir. You know me better than that. The doctor is already with him.”

Bruce stared at the lights indicating the passing floors in the elevator, willing them to move faster, “I’ll be right there. I’m almost there.”

The elevator door opened, and Bruce ran out of the car and down the hall. He could see Alfred jump out of the way as Dr. Ho went running into Damian’s room.

Bruce followed Dr. Ho into the room, but was caught by the second doctor, “Out! Out!”

“He’s my son, damn it,” Bruce snarled dangerously, “What’s happening to him?”

Dr. Ho turned to Bruce, “Give us a minute to see what’s going on, Mr. Wayne. Please, wait in the hall with your father.”

Alfred stepped into the room, grabbed Bruce’s elbow, and pulled him out of Damian’s room.

Bruce was breathing heavily as the door was shut in his face. “Alfred, what happened? I was only gone for, like, half an hour. He was taking a nap while I went to wait for you.”

“He was awake when I got here,” Alfred said, “We spoke for a very short time when I noticed him sweating. In a matter of seconds, he was unconscious and barely breathing. That is all I know, sir.”

Bruce took a breath, starting to calm down, but just barely. He glanced at Alfred and asked, “Did Dr. Ho call you my father? Why did he think that?”

Alfred smiled, “Perhaps it was because Master Damian told him that?”

“What?”

“The good doctor was not going to let me see Master Damian, as I am not immediate family. Master Damian told Dr. Ho that I am his grandfather. The young sir told me he wanted to see me, and that I had to play along. I am sure Dr. Ho just assumed that, if I am Master Damian’s grandfather, then I must be your father.”

Bruce nodded, “Well, there are far worse people who could fill that role. I know you are well aware that all of the boys have always thought of you as a grandfather.”

The pair waited breathlessly for several minutes, until the door opened, and Dr. Ho stepped out.

Bruce set upon the man for an update, “What is it, Doctor?”

Dr. Ho took a deep breath, “I’m afraid it’s his graft. We didn’t get to the infection in time, and it’s spread. I don’t know if the graft can be saved. We’ll do what we can. We’re prepping him for emergency surgery now. One of the nurses took some cultures to the lab. Initial finding is a staph infection. If it’s in his bloodstream, and if we don’t take care of it right now, he’ll turn septic.”

Bruce could only stare as Damian’s bed was wheeled out into the hallway, and orderlies rushed the boy towards a waiting elevator. His jaw sagged as he asked softly, “What can we do, Dr. Ho?”

Dr. Ho looked Bruce in the eye, “Pray. We’re doing all we can, Mr. Wayne. I have to go. I’ll send word when there’s news.”

Dr. Ho ran after the hospital bed, leaving Bruce and Alfred standing helplessly alone in the hallway. Bruce reached out, flailing behind him. His hand was taken in Alfred’s shaky grasp.

“My boy,” Bruce gasped, “My…my boy.”

Alfred led Bruce over to a bench and forced him to sit, “Now you listen here, Bruce. Damian is strong, and he recovers quickly. He always has. This is but a minor setback.”

“A blood infection is not a minor setback,” Bruce snapped, “I can’t lose him.”

“I will hear no such talk,” Alfred said sharply, “We will not lose him. Master Damian is too stubborn for that.”

Bruce turned and hugged Alfred tightly, “Everything we do, and it’s the evil we can’t fight that gets us.”

“Bruce,” a new voice asked tentatively, “What’s going on?”

It took several minutes for Bruce to be able to calm himself enough to answer Mike Abbey’s question. He gave a great sniffle before he was able to say, “One of…one of Damian’s skin grafts is infected. It…it doesn’t look good.”

Mike gasped, “He’s going to be alright, though…isn’t he?”

“We don’t know,” Bruce said bitterly, “the doctors won’t tell me anything.”

Alfred looked up at Mike and said, “The doctors have just begun treatment. We won’t know anything for a while yet.”

Mike sighed, “Robin has been asking about him. I didn’t know what to tell her.”

Bruce stared at his hands for a minute, thinking. _I’ve been so worried about Damian, that I forgot that he isn’t the only victim here. Robin is still in an ICU room of her own. Mike and Lisa have the clothes on their back. They don’t have a home to go back to here. Not one in this state, at least. Maybe, since the doctors are busy right now, I can do something good for Damian. He’ll recover faster if I can give him a positive update about Robin. That would involve seeing her._

Bruce looked up, after wiping at his cheeks, “I’m sorry, Mike. I’ve been so worried about my own kid, that I haven’t kept up with what’s going on with yours. If you want to try to sneak us past the nurses, I can give her an update. Sure beats sitting out here and finding new ways to depress myself.”

Mike gave a nod and a small smile, “Forget the nurses. Between the two of us, we could buy and sell this hospital a hundred times over. I did a little digging on my own yesterday. Our kids are the only patients in the entire ICU right now. They can cater to us. If they try that ‘immediate family only’ crap again, we’ll just have to become related.”

Bruce gave an involuntary smirk at the comment, “I think, if Damian heard you say that, you would have just become his new favorite parent.”

Mike’s small smile grew, “I can live with that. He’s a good kid, Bruce, and I’ve always wanted a son.”

“Well, for the past three years, he’s always wanted your daughter,” Bruce said as he stood up. “I’m as ready as I’ll ever be. Let’s go check on your daughter, and my eventual daughter-in-law.”

The three men approached Robin’s room, only to be intercepted by a nurse. “I’m sorry, gentlemen…”

That was all the nurse got out before Bruce turned a full Bat-glare on the young woman. Alfred stepped between his employer and the nurse and said, “I believe you will find, miss, despite the different names on the register, that your two young patients are family. Two families intertwined as one in the best way possible.”

“We have our policies for a reason, gentlemen,” the nurse said, after recovering from her exposure to the glare.

“I applaud you for sticking to your rules, but they don’t apply in this instance,” Alfred said. Alfred motioned for the nurse to follow him a couple steps away from the room. As soon as the nurse turned her back, Mike and Bruce slipped into Robin’s room. “You see, the young man and young woman are quite in love, and will be married just as soon as their ages catch up with current laws. Both families are encouraging this relationship, and nothing; not a devastating house fire or your hospital’s rules; are going to keep this family separated. Now, as I believe Master Damian and Miss Robin are the only patients currently housed in this ward, and their relationship has been explained, I trust there will be no more mention of this silly rule that is separating a family.”

The nurse looked at Alfred in awe, “That might be the most impassioned speech someone has given in this ward, trying to explain breaking our rules. Usually, people just yell at us.”

“I wouldn’t do that, miss,” Alfred said, “I just wanted to convey the deep relationship between our two families.”

The nurse smiled, “I get it. I’ll see if we can bend the rules a little.”

“That would be most appreciated, miss,” the butler said with a small bow.

_Meanwhile…_

Mike and Bruce walked quietly into the room. As soon as Mike had opened the door, Lisa looked up and gestured for them to be quiet. Bruce looked at the bed and saw why. Robin was asleep.

_She’s so pale, but at least she’s off the ventilator now,_ Bruce thought, _I hate this. Robin should be just getting out of school, and Damian should be waiting for her to get home from school. She shouldn’t be sleeping in a hospital bed, and Damian shouldn’t be…in surgery. What am I doing here? I should be in an observation room, watching._

“I shouldn’t stay long,” Bruce said, “I just want to know something to tell Damian, when he gets back.”

Lisa looked concerned and whispered, “What do you mean, when he gets back? What was all the commotion?”

Bruce had a hard time keeping the quake out of his jaw. “Damian spiked a fever. One of his skin grafts is infected, and the infection is spreading. He’s in emergency surgery now.”

Lisa’s jaw dropped, “Oh my god, Bruce. I’m so sorry.”

“Damian’s in surgery,” Robin asked weakly, and wetly, from the bed.

Mike was instantly at his daughter’s side, “I didn’t know you were awake, honey. How are you feeling?”

Robin ignored her father, “Why is Damian in surgery? What happened?”

Bruce sighed, “He has an infection. He’s strong. He’ll beat it.”

The entire Abbey family stared at Bruce, and could tell from the tone of his voice that he was having a hard time believing his own statement.

“When did he go into surgery,” Robin asked, barely holding back tears.

Bruce shook his head, “They probably haven’t even started yet. This just happened.”

“What sort of surgery takes out an infection?”

Bruce gave a small smile. The question sounded exactly like something Damian would have asked. “What do you know about his injuries?”

“Mom said his back was really burned, and he wasn’t supposed to talk,” Robin said.

“He’s allowed to talk now,” Bruce said, “Softly, but he can still talk. He had to have three skin grafts on his back. The one on his shoulder didn’t go so well, and it got infected. It was made worse by the fact that the doctor told him not to talk.”

Mike looked confused, “How did that make it worse?”

Robin answered the question that had been directed at Bruce, “Damian knows American Sign Language. I bet he used that to communicate.”

Bruce nodded, “He did, and in the process had to move his arm to make signs. That kept the edges of the graft from healing properly, and allowed him to develop an infection of the open wound. I think they’re replacing the graft.”

Robin tried to lean forward, but settled for lifting her head, “Aren’t you worried, Mr. Wayne?”

Bruce took a step closer to the bed and gave a grim smile, “I’m scared to death, but there’s nothing I can do right now to help him. There is something I can do to help him in the future, though.”

“What’s that,” Robin asked, “Can I help?”

Bruce nodded, “You are helping. Now, when Damian gets back from surgery, I can tell him that I talked to you. I can tell him that you’re alive, and talking, and getting better. That will make him feel better.”

“I wish I was getting better,” Robin grumbled, “I really hate this oxygen mask, but I can’t breathe without it. I’m tired all the time, and sometimes I feel so weak that I can barely move.”

“Robin, it’s been less than two weeks,” Bruce said, “It’s a major accomplishment that you and Damian are awake at all.”

Robin sniffled, “Damian’s not awake.”

Bruce smiled, “Because they aren’t going to operate on someone while they’re awake. Damian promised me that the both of you are going to walk out of this hospital. Damian doesn’t make promises he can’t keep.”

Robin’s sigh turned into a cough, “I wish we’d just stayed at the hotel.”

“Why did you leave,” Lisa asked.

Robin looked at her mother, “We left because Janelle’s boyfriend and Connie’s boyfriend are stupid. They broke up, after what they did.”

“What did they do,” Mike asked.

Robin shook her head in annoyance, “They set up the hotel room before the dance. We were expecting a party. They were expecting an orgy. They got a bunch of drugs and alcohol, and were trying to force us into stuff. None of us were into it. We stayed maybe half an hour before Damian told them off for trying to slip something into Janelle’s drink. I piled all of the girls and Damian into my car and took us all home.”

Bruce nodded, “I’m glad you did that, even if you did end up here.”

“Same here,” Mike agreed, “Have I met those boys?”

Robin thought for a second, “I don’t think so. You sure won’t be meeting them now. Have you talked to my friends, or the school?”

Lisa nodded, “We called the school. They understood.”

Robin looked a little scared when she asked softly, “Am I still going to be able to graduate? I can’t go back to school anytime soon. I can barely stand up long enough for the nurses to change the sheets.”

Mike shook his head, taking hold of his daughter’s hand, “Don’t worry about that. We’ll work that out with the school.”

“Maybe you can do something like Damian did, and finish up some work packets, or something,” Bruce said.

Robin looked up at her dad, “Can you look into that, Dad? I don’t want to have to repeat Senior year.”

Mike nodded as Alfred slipped quietly into the room, “I’ll call the school tomorrow.”

Robin angled her head and said weakly, “Hi, Mr. Alfred.”

Alfred inclined his head, “Hello, Miss Robin. I am glad to see you recovering.”

Robin leaned back into the bed, fading fast as her energy was spent, “Sorry, I’m just so tired. Will you let me know what happens with Damian?”

“Of course, Robin,” Bruce said, “you just rest.”

“Thanks,” the girl said as she fell asleep again.

Lisa looked up and sighed, “I wish we had better news. It’s just going to take a long time for her to get better.”

“What are you two doing about your house,” Bruce asked, “Eventually, she’s going to be released, and you’re going to need somewhere other than the waiting room to stay.”

“The Fire Marshall released the site back to us yesterday,” Mike said, “I’m going over there in the morning, to see if anything is salvageable. From the report I got, it doesn’t look like there will be. I hired a contractor. We’re going to rebuild. I explained the situation to the foreman, and they’re going to put a rush on the job. I was promised that, from the time I hand the site over to them, getting the house rebuilt will be the company’s only job. It should be ready by the end of June. If we get out of here before then, and if Robin is fit enough to travel, we’ll go back to Gotham until the house is ready.”

Bruce gave a small smirk, “That will make Damian very happy. Of course, if we tell him that you’re returning to Gotham, he’ll insist that you stay with us.”

Mike shook his head, “I think our house will be easier for Robin to move around in. Knowing Damian, if we tell him that, he’ll insist on staying with us, by saying that our house is smaller, and easier to get around in.”

“That does sound like Master Damian,” Alfred said with a bemused smile.

Lisa eyed Bruce and asked, “When was the last time you slept, Bruce? You look tired.”

“Who knows,” the man said.

“If Damian is going to be in surgery for a while, why don’t you get some sleep,” Lisa asked.

Alfred smiled at the woman, “That is a good idea, Master Bruce. You are not able to assist Master Damian at the moment, so now would be the best time to rest.”

Bruce sighed, “You’re probably right. Thanks for letting me see Robin. Damian will be happy, knowing that she’s not in any danger.”

Bruce walked up to the bed and reached down to squeeze Robin’s hand, then thought better of it, in case he woke the sleeping girl. “You get better soon, okay,” he whispered to his future daughter-in-law.

Bruce and Alfred walked out of Robin’s recovery room, but instead of heading back to Damian’s, Bruce headed for the nurse’s station.

“How can I help you, Mr. Wayne,” the nurse asked.

Bruce took a breath, “Please, I don’t want any more arguments about the immediate family only rule. It is vitally important that the Abbey’s have access to my son’s room, and that I have access to their daughter’s room.”

The nurse smiled, “That was explained to us, and it won’t be a problem in the future.”

“Thank you,” Bruce said, “Are there any updates on Damian’s surgery?”

The nurse checked her computer, “Operation began fifteen minutes ago. No alerts in the system, so far.”

“What does that mean,” Bruce asked.

The nurse looked up, “That means that everything is going to plan.”

Bruce felt like he was dragging, now that the idea of getting some sleep had been put into his head, “I’m going to try to get some sleep. Wake me the second anything changes. Any alerts, or when the surgery is completed, wake me up immediately.”

“Of course, Mr. Wayne.”

Bruce nodded, “Thank you.”

Alfred took hold of Bruce’s elbow gently and directed him to Damian’s room. Bruce laid down on the small couch in the corner of the room. Alfred pulled a blanket out of a closet, but Bruce was already asleep before the butler could cover him up.

_Later…_

“Mr. Wayne?”

Bruce shot off of the couch like it was about to explode, scaring the hell out of the nurse in the process.

“What! What is it?”

The woman took a step back from the man and said, “You said to wake you if we got any alerts on your son.”

Bruce’s face paled instantly at that sentence, “Oh, god. What happened?”

The nurse smiled, “We got a notification that he is out of surgery. A couple preparations are being made for recovery, and he will be brought back up here as soon as possible.”

Bruce released a massive breath, and sagged back onto the couch, “Thank you. How long until he’s back?”

“Anywhere between forty-five minutes and an hour,” the nurse said.

Bruce looked around the room, wondering where Alfred had gone. He nodded absently, “Thank you.”

“Dr. Ho will be up in twenty minutes or so to give you an update on how everything went.”

The nurse left the room, and Bruce ran his fingers through his hair. _He made it. Did he make it? No, he has to still be alive. They wouldn’t have forced a nurse to break that kind of news. Anyway, she said they were bringing him back up here, so he has to be alive. Where is Alfred?_

The butler in question walked into the room, and was surprised to find Bruce awake. “Oh, Master Bruce. I’m sorry, I meant to be back before you awoke.”

“It’s alright, Alfred,” Bruce said, “The nurse woke me up. Damian is out of surgery, and will be back up here in less than an hour.”

“That is good news, sir,” Alfred said, setting a small box on the end of the couch, “You have some time to eat before he gets back, then. Please, eat up.”

Bruce opened the box and found what was probably the healthiest thing to come out of the hospital cafeteria. Bruce looked up again, “Are we sharing this? This is a huge salad.”

Alfred held up another box, “I have one of my own. If I may?”

Bruce looked at Alfred strangely, “When have you ever asked my permission to do anything? Or, ever had to ask? Damian had the right idea when he told the doctor that you are his grandfather. I know, you’ve never wanted to force your way into any other title, other than butler, out of respect for my parents. You didn’t force this one. It’s natural. Sit down, Alfred. Eat. Be comfortable, while we can.”

Bruce moved over on the couch and picked up his box as Alfred sat down. “Thank you, Master Bruce.”

The pair ate silently, nervously tense for what would happen next.

Half an hour after the nurse left, Dr. Ho walked into the room. Bruce stood up and met the doctor in the middle of the space.

“How is my boy?”

Dr. Ho smiled, “He did great. First of all, the damage to the graft was confined to the top and right side edges. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. We did some touch-up work, but the graft itself didn’t have to be replaced. We’re treating him with high doses of broad-spectrum antibiotics to take care of the infection. His fever has broken. Last check I got a number for, he was down to one hundred and a half; far better than the one-oh-five he was before surgery. We strapped his right arm to his stomach. He won’t be able to move it now, and that should give the rest of the graft time to heal. We’re setting him up with a treatment option that is a bit uncommon, and I don’t think he will like it, but it will allow him to heal at an accelerated rate.”

“What is the treatment,” Bruce asked.

Before Dr. Ho answered, a large capsule was wheeled into the room. Bruce’s jaw dropped, “What the hell is that?”

“Hyperbaric chamber,” Dr. Ho said, “This gives him an enriched oxygen atmosphere, which stimulates healing, and allows him to forgo the oxygen mask and nasal cannula. We know that he has been taking those off when he’s alone. That hasn’t helped his recovery any.”

Bruce walked up to the pod and stared at his son through the large glass window. Damian was still lying on his stomach, and was asleep. “Does he know that you put him in a coffin?”

“He has been asleep since before the surgery,” Dr. Ho said, “He should sleep for another hour or so. The chamber is temperature controlled, so he shouldn’t complain of being cold anymore. He will be able to hear you when you speak to him. Please, Mr. Wayne, try to keep him calm when he wakes up.”

“How long does he have to be in there,” Bruce asked. _My son is going to want a hug. I’m not going to hug a hyperbaric chamber._

“He’ll stay in there for four hours,” Dr. Ho said, “Depending on how he’s healing, and how he’s feeling, we’ll set up additional treatments. He’ll probably do several shorter treatments a day for the next week. The hope is, by the time this treatment modality has done it’s work, he won’t need to be on oxygen anymore.”

Bruce heaved a sigh of relief, “That will be good. He’ll like that. Have you thought about using this treatment for Robin? Seems like it would be a good choice for her.”

“I will speak with her team about it,” Dr. Ho said. “I’ll be back once he’s awake.”

Dr. Ho headed for the door, and Bruce eyed his son before he asked, “Is there a blanket in the chamber? He’s going to want to cover up. You could have at least put a gown on him after the surgery.”

“I want as few options for possible contaminants in there as possible,” Dr. Ho said, “That’s why it’s climate controlled.”

“Damian won’t like this,” Bruce grumbled as the doctor left the room.

Alfred walked up next to Bruce, “Do you suppose this apparatus is expensive, Master Bruce?”

“Think we should buy one to have at home?”

Alfred shook his head with a smile, “Just wondering about the replacement cost, for when Master Damian wakes up and tries to punch his way out of there.”

“We’ll watch for him to wake up,” Bruce said, knowing that the butler’s suggestion was a distinct possibility, “Hopefully, we can keep the damage to a minimum.”

_Three Hours Later…_

“Alfred? I’m sorry, I must have fallen asleep.”

“You didn’t fall asleep, son,” Bruce said, answering for Alfred.

Damian turned his head, his eyes still closed, “Oh, Father. You’re back. Is Alfred still here?”

“I am still here, young sir,” Alfred said.

“I just woke up, Father,” Damian said, “What do you mean, I didn’t fall asleep?”

Bruce sighed, “Damian, I need you to trust me, and do everything I say right now. Can you do that?”

Damian didn’t like how that sounded, but said, “Sure.”

“Don’t open your eyes just yet,” Bruce said, “Whatever you do, keep your eyes shut until I tell you to open them.”

“Why,” Damian asked with a shaky voice.

“Because you aren’t going to like what you see,” Bruce said, “Let me explain before you look around.”

Damian kept his eyes firmly shut, but said softly, “You’re scaring me, Father.”

Bruce sighed, “I know, and I’m sorry, but it’s better if I explain first. Can you trust me that far?”

“Y-yeah,” Damian said, close to tears.

Bruce took a breath, “Okay, like I said, you didn’t fall asleep. While talking to Alfred, you spiked a fever and passed out. Your…your shoulder graft was infected. You were taken down to surgery to repair the damage. Can you move your right arm at all?”

Damian tried, “No.”

“That’s okay, Damian.”

Damian’s jaw shook, “It’s still there, right? It’s still attached?”

Despite the situation, Bruce smiled, “Yes, it’s still there. Dr. Ho said he strapped it to your stomach. I was just wondering how tightly he strapped it down. Anyway, Dr. Ho said your surgery went well. He fixed the damage to your graft, and you’re being treated with high doses of antibiotics to combat the infection.”

“If everything is okay,” Damian asked, “Why don’t you want me opening my eyes?”

_Here goes._ “Dr. Ho started you on a new type of therapy. It’s meant to accelerate healing and improve your lungs. It also allows you to go without the oxygen mask. You’ve been taking it off. The doctors can tell.”

“What kind of therapy,” Damian asked.

“Hyperbaric,” Bruce said.

Damian cocked his head, “I think I’ve heard of that.”

“It involves placing you in an oxygen rich environment to speed up healing,” Bruce said.

“When do I start this therapy,” Damian asked.

Bruce swallowed nervously, “You’re doing it right now.”

“What do you mean?”

Bruce took a breath, “The therapy involves placing you in a hyperbaric chamber for several hours. You are in one now. I didn’t want you opening your eyes before anything could be explained to you because I didn’t want you to panic.”

Bruce could barely make out the nervous shake in Damian’s shoulders when he asked, “What am I going to see when I open my eyes?”

Bruce released a breath, “You are in a large tube, completely sealed off from the outside environment. There is a large window all around you, so you can see out. We can see in, too. You’re, um, laying on your stomach, and knowing your modesty, you will probably want to stay that way. Dr. Ho didn’t give you a gown or a blanket. He didn’t want any possible contaminants in the chamber with you.”

Damian swallowed, “So, you’re getting a good view of my butt?”

Bruce smiled, “We’re not staring at it, but it is right there.”

“Can I open my eyes, Father?”

“Only if you promise not to panic, son.”

Damian took as deep a breath as he could before opening his right eye a fraction of an inch. He looked around a bit, then gasped as he opened his eyes fully.

“Try to remain calm, Damian,” Bruce said, “You’re going to be okay. Dr. Ho said you only have to stay in there for four hours. You’ve already been in there for just over three hours. You’ve only got a little over an hour to go.”

“Then I’ll be healed,” Damian asked.

Bruce smiled, “Then, you’ll be done with this round of treatment. It’s going to be followed up by a comprehensive exam, so Dr. Ho can schedule your next rounds of treatment. If the Hyperbaric therapy works, it will shorten your healing time by a lot, and will hopefully preclude the need for oxygen therapy when you get home.”

Damian looked around at his surroundings again, then asked, “Is Robin getting this therapy, too?”

“She’s not, but I suggested it to Dr. Ho,” Bruce said, “He said he would talk to her treatment team about it.”

Damian sighed heavily, “I wish they would let us know how she’s doing.”

Bruce leaned closer to the glass and said, “I know how she’s doing. While you were in surgery, Alfred sweettalked the nurses into allowing us to come and go from Robin’s room, and to allow the Abbey’s free access to your room. I saw Robin. I got to talk to her. She’s feeling a little weak and tired, but she’s recovering. She’s off the ventilator and breathing on her own. She’s still on oxygen, but that’s much better than having a machine breathing for her.”

“How did she look,” Damian asked.

“A little pale,” Bruce said honestly, “but, then again, so do you. At least, paler than you usually look. That’s to be expected. I think you two are going to keep your promise. You’re going to walk out of this hospital.”

Damian released a relieved breath and whispered, “Thanks, Dad. Thanks, Alfred.”

Damian lay staring at his Father in silence for several long minutes before asking, “When is the doctor coming back?”

Bruce looked around, then made a guess, “Oh, maybe twenty minutes or so. Do you need him?”

“My shoulder hurts,” Damian said.

“Did you want something for the pain,” Bruce asked. Damian nodded gently, and Bruce said, “Okay, Kiddo. I’ll get the doctor.”

Bruce found a call button and pressed it. Several seconds later, a nurse came into the room, “Mr. Wayne?”

“He’s awake,” Bruce said. “He’s complaining of pain in his shoulder. Is he supposed to be on any medications for pain?”

“I’ll get Dr. Ho,” the nurse said, “The doctor didn’t want to order anything until after he woke up.”

“Get him, please,” Bruce said.

The nurse left the room, and Dr. Ho entered two minutes later. He walked over to stand next to Bruce, in Damian’s line of sight, and asked, “How are you feeling, Damian?”

“A little warm,” the teen said, “and my shoulder hurts.”

“I’m not surprised,” Dr. Ho said, “You had quite the infection. You still have a slight fever, which is why you’re feeling warm. What kind of pain is it, Damian?”

“Burning,” Damian said, “A constant pain.”

“It’s not throbbing?”

“No.”

“Is it supposed to be throbbing,” Bruce asked.

“Ideally, it’s not supposed to hurt at all,” Dr. Ho said, “but in this case, burning is better than throbbing. Can you hold on for another ten minutes, Damian?”

“I suppose so,” the teen said, “Why?”

“This round of treatment will be done in ten minutes,” Dr. Ho said, “Once you’re done, we can get you out of the chamber, examine you, then give you something for the pain.”

“Okay,” Damian said, not quite able to hide his disappointment.

“I’ll be back in ten minutes,” the doctor said before walking out of the room.

Damian watched the doctor leave, then turned back to look at Bruce. His father had a sad look on his face.

“How bad is it, Kiddo,” Bruce asked softly, “You hardly ever complain about pain. Harvey destroyed your knee replacement, and you only admitted it was sore because Robin dragged it out of you.”

Damian closed his eyes, “It really hurts. I think it’s mostly the fever. I’m sore and achy all over. I don’t even want to move.”

Bruce released a hard breath, “I thought so. Your injuries should be causing a lot more pain than you’ve told us about. It’s okay to admit it, son.”

“Mind over matter, Father,” Damian said softly, “If I keep telling myself that it doesn’t hurt, it won’t hurt. That’s one of the few lessons Mother beat into me that actually helps.”

Bruce shook his head, “You can tell yourself that all you want, but why not let the medications do their work?”

“Because Dr. Ho won’t give me any until I’m out of this tube,” Damian said.

“You’re tough,” Bruce said, “You can last ten minutes.”

Damian just nodded.

Ten minutes later, Dr. Ho and a nurse walked into the room.

Dr. Ho spoke in a cheery voice when he asked, “Okay, Damian. Are you ready?”

Damian swallowed against the pain. Ever since he had admitted to his father just how much he was hurting, it was all he could think about. “Get me out of here.”

Dr. Ho nodded as he stood at a control panel, “You got it. Just to let you know, the chamber is pressurized. Your ears might pop when we open it up.”

“Thanks for the warning,” Damian said.

“Here we go,” Dr. Ho said, “I’m going to open the chamber, we’re going to get you out of there, I’m going to examine you, and the nurse is going to clean you up a bit and get you a gown. Sound good?”

Damian nodded, “Yes. Hey, I haven’t had that burn cream put on my legs in a few days. Am I still supposed to be getting that?”

Dr. Ho looked disquieted at the news, “Yes, you are. I’ll check your chart after we get you out and make sure the order didn’t get taken out by mistake. Here we go.”

Dr. Ho pressed a button, and a hiss sounded in the room as the glass window lifted up from the hyperbaric chamber. Damian, with wide eyes, worked his jaw around, trying to clear his suddenly clogged ears.

Once they popped, Damian shook his head and said, “Thanks for the warning about the pressure. That would have scared me if I didn’t know ahead of time.”

Not thinking, Damian rolled over and sat up, with his legs dangling over the side of the chamber. Dr. Ho, Bruce, and Alfred were surprised by the suddenly energetic teen, until Damian’s eyes widened dramatically.

“What is it, Damian,” Dr. Ho asked.

“What the hell was I thinking,” Damian gasped as he tried to get off of his burned legs.

Bruce stepped forward quickly, grabbed Damian under his arms, and lifted him out of the chamber. “Can you stand, Kiddo?”

Damian winced as he straightened his legs, “I should be okay.”

Bruce lowered Damian to the floor. The teen’s feet touched down, but his knees didn’t support his weight. He started to sink to the floor before Bruce held him up again. “Not as okay as you thought?”

“I guess not,” Damian said, locking his knees.

“We’ll make this quick,” Dr. Ho said, “Mr. Wayne, can you move your left hand?”

Damian looked up, “I’m okay now, Father. I just haven’t stood in a while. You can let go.”

“You sure, Kiddo,” Bruce asked, “I don’t want to have to pick you up off the floor.”

Damian smirked up at his Father, “You won’t have to do that.”

Bruce took a step back from Damian, and this time, he was able to stand on his own. 

Dr. Ho walked around behind Damian and asked, “How do you feel?”

“I’m in quite a lot of pain,” Damian said, “but I feel pretty good.”

Dr. Ho stared at the teen, “That’s an interesting combination. Explain it.”

“I’m sore and achy, which I think is from the fever,” Damian said, “My legs are sore, because I was stupid enough to try to sit on my burns. My shoulder still feels like it is burning. It doesn’t hurt to breathe, though.”

“I’m going to take the bandage off of your shoulder, to see how everything is healing,” Dr. Ho said as the nurse slipped a device on Damian’s finger.

“What’s that,” Damian asked.

Dr. Ho looked over Damian’s shoulder, “Pulse Oximetry sensor. It measures oxygen levels in your blood.” Dr. Ho peeled the gauze off of Damian’s back and smiled. “I think we got it.”

“Think we got what,” Bruce asked.

“The graft looks much better,” Dr. Ho said, “It’s healing how it should have in the beginning. Color looks better, it’s not bleeding or oozing anymore. Nurse, what’s his temperature?”

The nurse took the thermometer out of Damian’s ear and read the display, “Ninety-nine point two.”

Dr. Ho nodded slowly, “It’s all starting to look good, Damian.”

“When can I get out of here,” Damian asked.

“I’ll admit,” Dr. Ho said, “You’re healing a lot faster than you have any right to, but we shouldn’t rush things. You can start doing more, but we aren’t going to talk about discharge for at least another week. Let me check your pulse ox.” Dr. Ho checked the reading and said, “One-oh-two.”

“What does that mean,” Damian asked.

“Your blood oxygen level is at one hundred two percent,” Dr. Ho said, “That’s probably why you said you’re feeling so good. Pure oxygen has the side effect of giving a euphoric effect. That’s why I can’t just leave you in the Hyperbaric Chamber for the next week. We’ll measure you again in an hour and see where the level is. Then, we’ll decide how much more time you’ll need to spend in the chamber. For now, the nurse will clean you up and dress you. If you can stand sitting, you can sit up for a while. You’re going to get tired pretty quick, though. This is a great start, but don’t push it.”

Damian nodded, “Thank you, Dr. Ho. Is Robin getting the hyperbaric therapy, too?”

“She is,” Dr. Ho said, “She is actually in her first treatment right now.”

Damian frowned, “So, I can’t go see her, then?”

Dr. Ho smiled, “Are you planning on going over there like that?”

Damian looked down at his still-naked body and smirked, “She won’t mind. Neither will I.”

Bruce shook his head, “Didn’t the doctor just tell you not to push things? You’re pushing it right now.”

Damian sighed, “Yes, Father.”

Dr. Ho nodded with a smile, “I’ll be back in an hour.”

Dr. Ho left the room as the nurse started a sponge bath of the teen. Less than a minute later, Damian started looking like he was very uncomfortable with the woman touching him.

“Damian, what’s wrong,” Bruce asked.

“Can I have a gown, please,” Damian murmured.

The nurse smiled at the teen, “I’m a nurse, honey. I’ve seen it all. You have nothing to be embarrassed about.”

Bruce, who was standing behind Damian, blushed a bit in embarrassment for his son as he realized what happened to the hormonal teen.

The nurse finished bandaging Damian’s shoulder again, then tied a gown around the brightly blushing teen. “There you go. All set. We’ll be back in an hour.”

The nurse left, and Damian was hesitant to turn around. Bruce gave a soft smile, “It’s okay, Damian.”

Damian sighed and turned, and the front of his gown was tented. “We were talking about seeing Robin, and she was…brushing against things. I’m sorry.”

“For being a teenager,” Bruce asked with a smirk, waving his son over. “Did you want to try sitting up, or will that hurt too much?”

“I need to get used to it eventually,” Damian said as he walked over to Bruce. Pulling the gown tighter around him, Damian sat down in Bruce’s lap.

The boy cringed, then started breathing easier after a minute. Bruce eyed his son and asked, “Are you sure you’re okay?”

Damian released a breath and leaned to the side, resting against Bruce’s chest. Bruce’s arms wrapped gently around Damian.

Damian laid his head against Bruce’s neck and whispered, “I’m better now.”

_Two Days Later…_

All heads in the room turned to look at the door as a knock was followed by the door opening and Mike Abbey sticking his head into Damian’s room.

Damian smiled at the man, and Bruce said, “Come in, Mike.”

The man entered the room and said, “It’s good to see you out of bed, Damian. You look better than the last time I checked in here.”

“I’m starting to get my strength back, a little,” Damian said.

“I see they have you on real food now,” Mike said as he sat down next to Bruce.

Damian shrugged, “I guess Chicken Noodle Soup is a step up from the broth they’ve had me on for a week now. Is Robin on semi-solid food yet?”

Mike nodded with a smile, “She seems to have the same menu as you.”

Damian looked down into his bowl, “Um, how’s she doing?”

“She’s getting better,” Mike said, “The hyperbaric chamber is helping, but it’s going to take a while. She’s in a treatment right now. She should be out soon, though. She really hates being in the chamber.”

“So do I,” Damian said, “How long do they lock her up for?”

“Six hours,” Mike said, “Six hours in, two hours out. They’re trying to speed up her recovery time.”

Damian closed his eyes and mumbled, “I thought my four hours was bad. How does she stand it?”

Mike heard the question, and figured he wasn’t supposed to. He also figured he wasn’t supposed to answer the question, but he did anyway, even knowing that the answer wouldn’t make Damian happy.

“She cries a lot,” Mike said softly, “She tries to hide it from us, but we know how hard this is on her.”

Damian gave Mike a slack-jawed stare at the news. _She cries too? I wonder if Father or Alfred know that I cry in the tube, too?_ “I didn’t need to hear that, Mr. Abbey. Is there anything I can do to help?”

Mike sent Damian a serious look, “I think there is, but we need to have a serious talk first.”

_Where is he going with this? Why did he get so serious all of a sudden,_ Damian thought to himself. “O-okay. What do we need to talk about?”

Mike took a breath, “I went back to the house today. I wanted to take one last look through the rubble before I turn the site over to the contractors, and everything is cleared away so they can start rebuilding.”

“Were you able to save anything,” Bruce asked.

Mike sighed, “Not much. The fireproof safe that Lisa told me I was crazy to buy did its job. I was able to recover the safe, which held most of our important papers. It had a few family heirlooms in there, too. I got our cars towed out of there, so the contractors can go to work.”

Bruce cringed, “I guess you’ll have to get new ones now?”

Mike shook his head, “They survived, actually. We’ve never parked in the garage. I had it set up as a work-out room. The paint on the hoods is a little singed, but they still work. I have to either order new keys for them, or get the locks replaced, but once I do that, they’ll be ready for us.”

Bruce looked at Mike strangely, “Did you have them towed to the hospital parking lot?”

Mike laughed, “No, to the parking lot outside my office. They’ll be safe there. The keys were in the house, though. We barely had enough time to get out ourselves. I still don’t know how you two survived long enough for the firefighters to pull you out.”

Damian shook his head, “I still don’t remember anything after we went to bed after Prom. I wish I could tell you more.”

“Robin doesn’t remember, either,” Mike said. He reached into his pocket and said, “I found this in the rubble. I think it was yours. I know, it’s just a little, worthless trinket.”

Mike handed Damian a small, brass square. Damian turned it over in his fingers as Bruce asked, “What is it?”

Damian looked up, “It’s the monogram tag from my suitcase. I’m surprised this didn’t melt.”

Damian handed Bruce the small square, and Bruce smiled at the engraved DW on the surface before handing it back.

“Thank you, Mr. Abbey,” Damian said, “Like you said, it’s amazing that anything survived the fire.”

Mike took a deep breath, and his voice dropped into as serious a tone as Damian had ever heard from the man, “I found something else, and that’s what we need to talk about. Just what exactly were you planning for this trip?”

Mike pulled a small box out of his pocket, and Damian gasped deeply. The small cube had once been covered in gray felt. It was now charred and blackened, “It…it survived?”

Mike opened the lid of the box to reveal a soot-encrusted ring. Damian’s jaw shook as he saw the jewelry again. “What were you planning, Damian?”

Bruce looked at his son, “You told me you would talk to him, Damian.”

“I didn’t have a chance,” Damian said, “I was going to do it after Prom.”

“What exactly were you going to do after Prom,” Mike asked.

Damian blushed, “I was going to ask you for your blessing…to marry Robin. I…I was going to propose for her real birthday present.”

Mike looked at Damian strangely, “Her _real_ birthday present?”

Damian nodded, “I told her that coming out for her Prom and staying through the end of the month was her present. That way, if you said no, I was covered. If you said yes, it was going to be a surprise.”

Mike held Damian’s gaze for several long seconds before saying, “You obviously planned this out in advance. Did you know about this, Bruce?”

Bruce nodded, “I did. Damian has been working on this since February. He’s been saving his allowance for…well, since he met Robin, just to buy that ring.”

“How long did you practice your speech, Damian,” Mike asked the nervous teen.

Damian swallowed against his suddenly dry throat, “Months.”

Mike put the ring box down on the table, next to Damian’s now-forgotten soup, and crossed his arms over his chest, “Well, go ahead. Try to impress me.”

Damian’s eyes widened. _He wants me to ask? He’s okay with this? Well, let’s find out._

Damian took a breath, then a sip of water, then another breath, before speaking softly, “Mr. Abbey, I love your daughter. There is no better way to say it. It goes beyond love, though. We…we understand each other. Robin has been there for me for far more than anyone should. She knows things that I swore I would never tell anyone. On our first anniversary, I told Robin my entire life story, and she did something amazing. She listened, and she didn’t run away. She accepted me for who and what I was, what I am. She knows things that I haven’t even been able to tell Father. Allowing me to open up, and not rejecting me afterwards, taught me that it’s okay to open up to others. She allowed me to begin to heal, and to grow into what I am today.”

Damian took a breath, then continued, “The past three years have been the best in my life. Robin has calmed me, and allowed me to start to look at life differently. I have the relationship with my family that I do now because of her. She reminds me to stay calm and see things differently, and to not react how I used to. Father can tell you, our first couple years together weren’t fun, but things have settled down, and I attribute a lot of that to Robin’s influence on me.”

Mike glanced over at Bruce, who gave a sad nod.

Damian’s jaw was shaking as he spoke, “Robin has spent a lot of time and energy helping me be a better person. She makes me _want_ to be a better person. She has done more for me than even I know, and I want to spend the rest of my life returning the favor. She deserves so much better than me, but, for some reason, she likes me. I don’t know where I would be today, if we had never met, and I don’t want to think of my life without her. I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I want to provide for her, and do everything I can to make her as happy as she’s made me. I promise I will never hurt her, or make her regret the time and effort and love she has invested in me. I know that we are too young right now. I know that we have to wait until I’m old enough before we can take that next step. Robin and I are destined to be together, but we are well aware that destiny can’t start yet.

“Mr. Abbey, I respect you too much to make this kind of decision without your approval. That’s why I told Robin what I told her about her birthday present. If you think we are too young, or we aren’t ready, or the time isn’t right, I will hold on to that ring until we have your blessing. I just thought that this half-step was coming at the right time. Mr. Abbey…” Damian’s voice hitched in his throat, and he had to swallow hard to be able to get the words out, “Mr. Abbey, may I please have your blessing to marry Robin?”

Mike held Damian’s cautiously hopeful look with his own stern gaze. Inside, though, Mike was incredibly happy. _I’ve been expecting this for a long time. He knows the answer, but he’s still doing the right thing by asking me first. He’s obviously been planning that. An engagement will make both of them absurdly happy. Lisa will flip over this, too. He’s right, they are absolutely perfect for each other…and he’s not breathing, waiting for my answer. I can’t let this go on too long, or the doctors will have to put him back into the hyperbaric chamber._

Mike opened his mouth, and got a sort of perverse enjoyment in seeing Damian’s eyes widen incrementally. “You were going to talk to me about this a couple weeks ago, I assume?”

Damian nodded, “Yes, sir. I wanted to get Prom out of the way first, and when things settled down a bit, I was going to ask you.”

“The fire kind of killed your plans,” Mike said.

“Yes, sir.”

“You said that it is destiny for you and Robin to be together,” Mike pointed out, “Do you even believe in destiny?”

Damian glanced down, then met Mike’s eyes again, “Our entire relationship is founded on destiny. I didn’t believe in it until I met Robin, but I do now.”

“How so?”

Damian grew a small smile, “Tim and I weren’t originally going to be at the Spring Party, where Robin and I first met. I had…a bit of a breakdown the day before, and Father agreed to let Tim and I miss the party, to get me in a better headspace. I felt guilty for what I put Father and Alfred through, so we ended up going to the party, to support Father. I was trying to play the polite host when I approached Robin. Everything went to plan, until she looked at me, and I got lost in her eyes. If I didn’t feel bad and want to apologize to Father for how I had acted, Robin and I might have never met.”

“A chance meeting is destiny,” Mike asked.

“We survived our first date,” Damian said, “I was so nervous that I could barely look at her. With how I acted for most of the date, I expected her to never want to see me again. She thought she was the one acting weird, and that I’d never want to see her again.”

“Getting over nerves is destiny,” Mike asked.

Damian shook his head, “Our whole relationship has been destined. I have never felt so instantly comfortable around anyone before. The first time we met, I could have sat there and talked to her for a week straight, and not noticed the passage of time. However, if you want destiny, you provided that today.”

Mike looked confused, “What do you mean?”

Damian put a finger on the top of the ring box, “The only things that survived the fire were a fireproof safe, some small items, and this ring. There is no reason for this to have survived the fire, but here it is. If that doesn’t scream that Robin and I are meant to be together, I don’t know what does.”

Alfred smiled at the teen’s statement, and Bruce was nodding at his son.

Mike picked up the ring box again and turned it over in his hands. “That sounds a little closer to destiny to me, Damian. I guess we have to find the light on our own in these dark times. I got a good idea about where some of that is going to come from. I don’t know if you are aware of this, given how much you’ve been sleeping and in and out of treatment, but today is Robin’s birthday. Before her last treatment started, she was quite sad. I don’t want Robin to be sad on her birthday. How are your legs feeling? Are you able to walk?”

Damian gasped, “I didn’t realize today was her birthday. I can walk. Slowly, but it’s still walking. Why do you ask?”

“Because you just made a promise to do everything you can to make Robin happy,” Mike said, “I think the question you want to ask her will go a long way towards making her extremely happy.”

Damian’s eyes widened in shock, “You…you want me to…”

Mike stood up and handed the ring box back to Damian, “Damian, as much as you say Robin has changed you, you’ve also changed her. I want to see where this goes, even though I’m pretty sure I already know. You didn’t have to ask me for permission.”

“I did,” Damian said, “I wasn’t going to do this without it. Um, just so I’m clear…”

Mike smiled, “Welcome to the family, Damian. Two and a half years from now, I will be happy to call you my son-in-law. I think it’s time to break some rules around here.”

“What did you have in mind, Mike,” Bruce asked.

Mike looked over at Bruce, “Our birthday present for Robin went up in the fire. I think I can give her something she wants even more, though. I think we can sneak Damian into her room.”

“Dr. Ho did tell Damian to start some light physical activity, to build up stamina and strength again,” Bruce said, “I think a walk next door will do him some good.”

“It’ll work wonders for Robin, too,” Mike said.

“Thanks, Dads,” Damian whispered.

Bruce and Mike smiled at each other. Bruce looked back at Damian and said, “Finish your soup first. It will be one less thing for the doctors to complain about. Dr. Ho never specified for you to stay in the room when you tried to get physical activity.”

“I better go make sure Robin is done with her treatment,” Mike said, “I don’t think either of you would appreciate proposing through glass.”

Mike left the room, and Alfred pulled out his handkerchief, “Master Damian, I can clean up the ring, if you would like.”

“I’m almost tempted to give it to her like this,” Damian said, “I think it will mean more, knowing what it survived.”

“Soot is not good for respiratory conditions,” Alfred said, “I know you do not want to exacerbate her condition.”

“No, you’re right, Alfred,” Damian said, handing over the ring box.

“Did that go how you had planned,” Bruce asked.

Damian released a breath, “No. I had a much better speech written out. I had to wing this one, and I rambled a bit. I can’t believe this is happening, Father. I’ve wanted this for years, but…I’m nervous.”

“Mike said yes,” Bruce said, “Do you honestly think Robin will say something else?”

“This isn’t how I wanted to do this,” Damian said, “Nothing’s gone to plan.”

“That will just make it more memorable, Master Damian,” Alfred said, handing the ring back. It now sparkled in the fluorescent lights.

Mike stuck his head into Damian’s room again, “She’s done with her treatment. You three can come over whenever.”

Damian nodded, “It will take me a few minutes to get there. Do we need to run interference with the nurses, or something?”

“I already took care of that,” Mike said, “Come over when you’re ready. I won’t tell her that you’re coming.”

“Thank you, Mr. Abbey,” Damian said.

Mike left again, and Damian turned back to Bruce, “Can you comb my hair, Father? I want to look good. Do I need a shave?”

“I shaved you yesterday, Damian,” Bruce said, pulling a comb out of his bag, “You’re fine, for now. You could probably use a trim. I don’t think your hair has been cut since before you left home. Relax, son. She’s going to be so happy to see you.”

Damian sighed, “I just wish my arm still wasn’t strapped to my stomach. This will be much easier with two hands. And, maybe with a pocket in this gown.”

Bruce took the box from Damian and said, “I’ll hold on to this for now. You just let me know when you want it. I’m sure it will be obvious, though. Don’t waste any time in there. Once you two are caught, this is going to be hard to explain to the doctors.”

“It’s Robin’s birthday,” Damian said, “There’s no way I’m not going to see her on her birthday. The doctors can kiss my ass.”

“Speaking of ass,” Bruce said, “stand up, so I can tie your gown a bit tighter in the back. There’s nothing I can do about your arm, though. Your graft still needs to heal, and that requires you to not move your arm, proposal or no proposal.”

Damian looked up into Bruce’s eyes and asked softly, “Am I doing the right thing, Father?”

Bruce smiled gently, “You’re just nervous, son. That’s to be expected. This is a big step you’re taking.”

Damian nodded, then hugged Bruce, “Thank you for being okay with this.”

“You know you can’t get married until you’re eighteen,” Bruce said, “This was the next inevitable step. I think your original plan was a good one.”

Damian turned and hugged Alfred, “Thanks for being here, Alfred, and for supporting me.”

“I could hardly do anything else, young sir,” Alfred said, returning the hug, “You have found a fine young lady, and I am proud of you.”

Damian took a breath, “I guess I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”

The trio headed for the door, and Damian stopped at the entrance, “This is the first time I’ve been out of this room, at least while awake, since I got here.”

“You’re making good progress, son,” Bruce said.

Damian stepped out of the room, and stopped as his eyes met with the head nurse’s, sitting at the Nurse’s Station. The woman looked at the teen, then smiled and nodded at Damian.

“Mr. Abbey really did take care of everything,” Damian said.

“You have their approval,” Bruce said, “Go get your fiancé.”

Damian smiled as he returned the nod and walked towards Robin’s room. He had walked around in his own room a bit, but this was farther than any of his trips so far. It took him far longer than he thought it would to stumble to Robin’s door.

The blinds over the glass window had been opened, and Damian could see into the room. Mike sat next to Lisa as they spoke with Robin, who couldn’t be seen from the door. Mike saw the teen and nodded. Damian took a deep breath and opened the door.

Lisa looked up and gasped at the sight, “Oh my. This is amazing.”

“What? What is it,” Robin asked.

Damian nearly broke down in tears at hearing Robin’s voice again. He walked into view and said softly, “Hi, Beautiful.”

Robin’s gasp matched Lisa’s as she saw Damian for the first time in weeks. She looked him up and down for half a minute before asking firmly, “Where the hell is your arm?”

Damian walked towards the bed with a smile, “It’s still here. To keep me from moving it, and to allow my shoulder graft to heal properly, Dr. Ho strapped it to my stomach.” Damian waved his hand under his gown, making sure she could see it, “I’ve missed you so much.”

Robin reached for Damian as he neared the bed. Damian bent down to kiss Robin’s cheek, he wasn’t going to kiss her oxygen mask, until Lisa said, “Whoa. Hold on, Damian.”

Damian straightened up again and looked at Lisa with confusion on his face, “What?”

Bruce smiled, “Hospital gown, Damian. You’re only wearing a hospital gown. I don’t think Lisa wants to see that side of you.”

Damian blushed, “Oh. Sorry, Mrs. Abbey.”

Robin had scooted over on the bed and grabbed Damian’s hand. She pulled him down to sit on the bed, catching a glimpse of Damian’s rear as he turned and sat in the vacated space.

“You’re awfully red back there,” Robin said softly.

Damian hissed as he sat on the bed, “Those burns should have healed by now. It’s just going to take a while. It hurts to sit on them, but it’s getting better.”

Robin raised the head of the bed, so they could both sit up. Damian intertwined his fingers in hers and drank in the sight of his girlfriend.

“Are you allowed to be here,” Robin asked.

“For a short visit,” Damian said, “Your Father was able to convince the nurses that this needed to happen. I wasn’t about to miss your birthday. Happy birthday, Beautiful.”

Robin smiled, “Not exactly how I wanted to celebrate it.”

“Any birthday you can celebrate is a birthday worth having,” Damian said.

“How long do we have,” Robin asked, “When is my next treatment?”

“When you’re done,” Mike said, “Bruce and I will hold the door shut, if we have to.”

Robin smiled, “Thanks, Daddy.”

Damian wrapped his arm around Robin’s shoulders, leaned over, and kissed her cheek. He whispered in her ear, “How long do you have to wear the oxygen mask?”

Robin sighed, “As long as I’m out of the chamber. I’m getting better, but I still need the oxygen.”

_You better keep it on, because I’m going to take your breath away in a couple minutes._ “I’m glad you’re better at following doctor’s orders than I am.”

Robin smirked under her mask, “Yes, I am.”

Damian squeezed Robin’s shoulders again, then asked, “Where are your injuries? I know yours are mostly your lungs, but your Mother said you had some burns, too?”

“I have some mild burns on my left side,” Robin said, “Nothing like what I saw of your legs when you were sitting down. It’s mostly just some red marks now. It doesn’t even hurt anymore. Breathing hurts, though.”

Damian looked around the room, then said, “I’d ask to see them, but that might be pushing things, with our parents in the room.”

“Yes, it would,” Lisa said. Mike smiled at his wife; she didn’t know what was coming up soon.

“Yours are on your back and legs, right,” Robin asked.

Damian nodded, “Yeah. The pictures Father took don’t really show it too closely, but I’m wondering how many of my scars got burned off.”

“You had skin grafts, too?”

“Three, actually,” Damian said, “I’ve only had problems with the one on my shoulder, though.”

Robin rolled her eyes, “That was too, tee-oh-oh, not two, tee-double you-oh.”

“I know,” Damian said.

Robin leaned her head over to rest it on Damian’s left shoulder and smiled, “Thanks for coming. I’ve missed you so much.”

The room was silent for a minute as the adults watched the teens.

After a minute, Damian released a breath roughly through his nose. “This is wrong. This is all wrong.”

Robin lifted her head, concerned at the change in Damian’s demeanor, “What is it, Lover?”

Damian sighed heavily, standing up to pace around the bed, “This is your birthday. None of us should even be thinking about a hospital. We should be at your parent’s home, which should still be standing, getting ready for a party. You should be wondering what to wear, not wondering how much your next breath is going to hurt. I should be helping your parents get everything set up for a nice evening, not worrying about if I’m moving my arm enough to damage my graft again.”

“This is just what happened, Damian,” Robin said, “We’ll get through this.”

“I know we will,” Damian said, “but this isn’t how today was supposed to go. You were supposed to spend time with your friends. You were supposed to see your sister, and your grandmother, and have a good day.” Damian passed by Bruce, and Robin didn’t see the brush pass as Bruce set the ring box in Damian’s hand. “I was supposed to stay by your side, and when the time was right, I was going to give you your gift.”

“You already gave me my gift,” Robin said, confused, “You spent a month with me.”

“I spent a week with you, and several weeks in the next hospital room,” Damian said, “That doesn’t count. But I can make up a little of that to you. You see, I had a second gift planned for you. One that I’ve been wanting to give you for a long time. This year, the time was right. I had it all planned out. I wasn’t going to give it to you at the party, or at least, not in front of everyone. I was going to take you someplace private, and I was going to tell you all about how much I love you.”

“I hope you were going to show me, too,” Robin said seductively.

Damian blushed a little, “Well…yeah. That time, of you and me, talking about our love, was going to be very special. I was going to tell you how much you mean to me, how much you’ve helped me, and how I can never fully repay you for that. The debt I owe you will take a lifetime to repay, and I was going to start today.”

Robin eyed Damian with growing nerves as she realized that something different than what she thought was happening. “What do you mean, Damian?”

Damian walked up to the bed and grabbed the rail, pressing the button that lowered the bed closer to the floor. As the bed sank, Damian sank with it. He grimaced in pain as the skin on his legs stretched and he bent his knees farther than he had in weeks, until he was kneeling next to the bed.

“Robin, I love you more than words can say. You have changed my life in ways that I probably don’t even realize. I want to return the favor. Like I said, I owe you a debt that a lifetime can’t repay, but that is what I’m offering you. A lifetime. A lifetime journey that we can take together, to see just how far we can go, and how much we can grow. A voyage of love, and friendship, and understanding. You once told me that you wanted what your parents have. They married their best friend. I didn’t even know what a best friend was when I first met you, but I do now. You were right, and I want that, too. You are the best friend I could ever hope to have, and if you will allow me, I will spend the rest of my life showing you how much I love you. Robin Marie Abbey, Beautiful, my best friend, the first person I think about when I wake up and the last person I think about when I go to sleep, will you make me the happiest man in the world, and will you marry me?”

Robin gasped deeply as Damian laid the charred ring box on the bed and fumbled the lid open with one hand. She gasped even deeper when she saw the ring in the box.

“This is what you meant, when you told me you were planning something big for my birthday,” Robin whispered in shock. She blinked a couple times, but couldn’t stop the tear from rolling down her cheek, “Yes, Damian. Yes, I will. I’ll marry you, because you’ve made me just as happy as you say I’ve made you.”

Damian pulled the ring from its singed velvet slot and slid it onto Robin’s extended finger. The ring was a bright platinum band with a line of three small diamonds embedded into the band. Robin was very curious how much Damian had spent on this, then didn’t want to know. Knowing Damian, it had to be exorbitantly expensive.

Robin glanced over at her parents, and found two different reactions. Lisa was crying, but looked absolutely shocked. Mike was smiling serenely as he held Lisa, almost matching the look found on Bruce’s face. _Mr. Wayne had to know about this in advance. Did Dad know, too? Did Damian ask Dad if he could marry me? That sappy fool. I knew I loved him for a reason._

Damian picked up Robin’s hand and kissed her knuckle, just above the ring. “Thank you, Beautiful. I promise, I will do everything I just said in my proposal.”

“Will you get up here and hug me already,” Robin said.

Damian looked around, “Um, give me a minute. Father, I don’t think I can get up on my own. Getting down here hurt a lot more than I thought it would.”

Bruce walked up behind his son, grabbed him under his arms, and picked him up. Damian slowly extended his legs again, grinding his teeth against the pain. Bruce then set him down on the bed, and barely got his hands out of the way before Robin leaned over and hugged Damian tightly. Robin then pulled her oxygen mask off and kissed Damian fiercely.

The kiss lasted twenty-eight seconds, before Robin was gasping for air. The couple separated, and Damian helped Robin reposition her mask over her mouth.

“Take it easy, Beautiful,” Damian said, “We have the rest of our lives to kiss. You need to recover first.”

“Something to look forward to,” Robin said breathlessly, “This kiss isn’t over yet.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Damian said with a smile as he settled back on the bed with his arm wrapped around Robin’s shoulders again.

Robin stared at her new engagement ring and said, “I can’t believe you did this. I can’t believe we’re engaged!”

“Does the ring fit,” Damian asked, “It’s not warped, or too big, or too small?”

“It’s perfect,” Robin said, “Why would it be warped.”

Damian smiled as he looked over at his future father-in-law, “That is the only thing I brought to Alaska with me that survived the fire. Your Father found it in the rubble, and grilled me over my plans.”

“Is that why the box looks like that,” Robin asked, before looking at Mike, “You knew, Daddy? You knew Damian was going to propose?”

Mike shook his head, “Not until I got back from the house. I found that today, before I turned the site over to the builders.” Mike looked at his stunned wife, “You would have enjoyed what happened, Lisa. Damian prepared a whole speech to ask for my blessing.”

“I wouldn’t have proposed if he didn’t say yes,” Damian said to Robin.

Robin snuggled tightly into Damian’s side, “How were you originally going to propose?”

Damian leaned his head over to rest against Robin’s, “Well, I was going to ask your parents for their blessing the week after Prom. Assuming they said yes, I was going to look for the right time on your birthday. I think I would have done it before the party. I didn’t want to propose in front of everybody.”

Robin smiled, “Like you did today?”

Damian looked around the room, “I wasn’t going to drop to a knee in front of your whole party. I didn’t think you’d say no, but…well, you know how my mind works. Anyway, after last year, your friends would have been expecting to see an extravagant gift from me. You remember how they reacted to your earrings. I was going to say pretty much the same thing I said today. I…I had a speech written out, that I was trying to memorize. I think I got most of it.”

“You wrote it out,” Robin asked.

“There is no reason in the world that I should have been nervous to propose to you,” Damian said, “It’s not the first time I’ve asked. This _was_ the first time that I wanted it to be the last time, though. I wanted this to be our real, official proposal. I wanted to get it right. I wanted it to be simple. I was thinking, maybe, waiting for you in the hall when you’re getting dressed for the party. Or, maybe waiting for you at the bottom of the stairs. I was going to order flowers. I was going to ask your sister to record it. Then, I was going to ask, and if you said yes, I was going to assume that you would take care of telling everyone.”

“What do you mean,” Robin asked, “IF I said yes. Did you honestly think I’d say no?”

“No,” Damian said, “but a nervous mind will convince you of anything. You know how my mind runs away with me.”

Robin nodded, “I do.” The older teen smiled, “I guess I need to practice that phrase. I’ve got two and a half years to get it right.”

Damian was smiling from ear to ear, “It sounded pretty good, just now.”

Damian leaned closer, trying to give Robin a tight hug, then sighed at his inability to move his right arm. He turned his head and asked, “Father, are we sure I can’t move my right arm?”

“Not until Dr. Ho says it’s okay,” Bruce said.

The door opened and two nurses walked into the room.

“Sorry to interrupt,” one nurse said.

“Then don’t,” Mike and Bruce both growled.

One nurse took a nervous step back, but the other continued, “I’m afraid you are both scheduled for your next round of treatment.”

Robin looked ready to cry, “No, not now. You can give us a few more minutes.”

Damian wrapped his arm around Robin as the nurse said, “Both of you were scheduled to start this treatment fifteen minutes ago. We’ve put it off as long as we can. If you two are going to heal, you have to stick to your schedule.”

A tear slipped out of Robin’s eye as she asked, “Don’t you realize what just happened? Didn’t anyone tell you what today is?”

The nurse looked shocked at the tear, and said, “No, no one told us anything.”

Robin gasped, “Today’s my seventeenth birthday, and my boyfriend just gave me the best present ever. He just asked me to marry him.”

“What did you say,” the nurse asked.

Robin held out her hand, showing off the ring, “I said yes, of course. Can’t I spend a little more time with my fiancé on my birthday, and my engagement day?”

The nurse sighed heavily, “Half an hour. I’ll have to report this as a technical issue with the chamber, which means a tech will be here in the morning to examine it.”

Damian looked over at the hyperbaric chamber, then said, “That looks big enough for two people to fit in there. Maybe we can combine our treatments?”

“No,” Mike, Bruce, Lisa, and both nurses all said at the same time.

Damian smirked, but Robin looked sad, “Our treatment times don’t line up. When will I be able to see you again?”

“We’ll work it out,” Damian said, then whispered, “Come on, we have so much to look forward to now. This sucks, but it’s not forever. Now that I know that I can actually walk over here, they’re going to have a hard time keeping me out of here.”

“How can you be so confident right now,” Robin whispered.

Damian gave the girl a bright smile, “Because you said yes. I hate to do this, but let me help you into the chamber.”

Robin shook her head, “The nurse said we could have half an hour.”

“She also said that would mean a technician would come and check out your chamber,” Damian said, “That would add time to your recovery. I’d rather spend a little time apart now to ensure that you’re getting better. And, before you ask, I don’t _want_ to spend time apart. I never want to leave you.”

Robin looked up into Damian’s face, “You’re tired.”

Damian sighed, “This is the first time I’ve been out of my room, and the longest I’ve been out of my bed in weeks. Let me help you get your treatment, then I’ll get mine, then we’ll work out when we can see each other again.”

Robin met Damian’s eyes for a long second, then gave a small nod. She spoke quietly when she said, “We’ll do that, but we’re just going to sit here for a few minutes. I probably won’t see you for a day or two. I want this to last.”

“You’re probably right,” Damian said as he snuggled down next to his new fiancé.

Several minutes later, Robin was nearly asleep on Damian’s shoulder, but she woke up again at Damian’s sigh. Damian had been eyeing the anxious looks on the nurse’s faces, and he couldn’t find a way to keep them silent anymore.

Robin wasn’t happy when she said, “Okay, I guess it’s time. I don’t like it, but we’ve put it off long enough.”

A nurse stepped forward, but stopped when Damian turned his head and said, “No. I’ll do it.”

Damian turned and slowly stood from the bed. He staggered around to the other side of the bed and held out his one good hand to Robin. Robin took two last deep breaths before pulling her oxygen mask off and sitting up on the edge of the bed. Damian sat down next to her and wrapped his arm around Robin, with his hand coming to rest just under her left arm. Robin wrapped her right arm around Damian, gripping his right shoulder. She didn’t see the grimace of pain as she squeezed his shoulder skin graft. Damian was biting his lip hard as he stood, bringing Robin up with him.

“Okay,” Damian asked the girl.

“Okay,” Robin said, “Take it slow, though.”

“I don’t think we really have a choice in that,” Damian replied as the couple took a couple slow, tentative steps.

Bruce was cringing at the sight. He could tell from Damian’s look that he was in pain. He then saw where Robin’s hand was, and made a mental note to have Dr. Ho check the graft again.

Halfway to the hyperbaric chamber, Robin shook her head and gasped, “Wait.”

Damian instantly stopped and looked over in concern, “You okay?”

“Need to…catch…my breath.”

Damian nodded gently, then whispered in Robin’s ear, “You’re doing great, Beautiful. We’ve only got six feet to go. I know you’re strong enough to do that.”

A nurse walked up to the pair and said, “We need to get her in the chamber now.”

Damian glared at the nurse, “Back off. I can’t do a lot for her right now, but I can do this. You aren’t taking her away from me. We’ll get there when we get there.”

Robin’s hand rubbed Damian’s shoulder, “Be nice. She’s just trying to do her job.”

“I know,” Damian said in a sigh, “I just want to do this. There’s so much we can’t do right now. Allow me to do this.”

The nurse stepped back with a nod, and Damian led Robin to the chamber. They sat down on the edge, and Damian asked, “How are you doing?”

Robin was breathing heavily, “I’m okay. I just need oxygen.”

“Okay,” Damian said, nodding, “Lay down. We’ll get you your treatment.”

Robin laid back, and Damian stood up from the chamber. The only person in the room who didn’t see how much Damian’s legs were shaking was Robin.

Damian leaned down and brushed a kiss against Robin’s cheek, “I love you so much. Just rest, I’ll see you soon.”

Robin nodded at the words. She was too out of breath to speak.

The nurse stepped in and sealed the chamber, beginning the treatment. Damian turned and walked over to the Abbey’s.

Hugging Lisa, Damian said softly, “I’m sorry I didn’t have a chance to talk to you first about proposing to Robin. I really did want both of you to know before I did it.”

“It’s okay, Damian,” Lisa said softly, “We knew this was coming eventually. I’m glad you allowed all of us to be here when you did it.”

Damian gave Mike a quick hug and said, “Thank you.”

“Thank you,” Mike said, “You were able to make Robin happy today. That means everything.”

“I’ll keep doing that,” Damian said.

“Come on, Kiddo,” Bruce said, “You’ve put off your treatment long enough.”

Damian walked back to the Hyperbaric Chamber and stared through the glass at Robin. Even from just the two minutes Robin had spent in the chamber, Damian could tell that she was breathing easier. He laid his hand on the window, and she lifted her hand to press against the other side of the glass.

“I’ll see you soon, Beautiful,” Damian said.

“Yes, you will, Lover,” Robin said softly, “Go. Get your treatment. Get better.”

Damian gave a sad nod before walking away from the chamber. He met Bruce at the door and said, “Okay, Father.”

Bruce nodded, “Okay. Mike, Lisa, we’ll see you soon.”

The Abbey’s nodded as the Wayne’s walked out of the room.

Once in the hall, and securely out of Robin’s sight, Damian sagged wearily against his father. Bruce had to hold Damian up on weak, shaky legs.

“You overdid it, Pal,” Bruce said.

Damian gave a short nod, “It was worth it. Um, I…I…”

“What is it, Kiddo,” Bruce asked in concern.

Damian glanced up, “I can’t make it back to the room. In fact, if I wasn’t leaning against you, I would be on the floor.”

Bruce sighed as he reached down and picked Damian up.

A nurse ran over as she saw Bruce cradling the teen, “What’s wrong?”

Bruce gave a small smile, “He overestimated his strength a little. We’re going back to his room now. He’s supposed to start a treatment…um, a while ago.”

The nurse followed the pair back to the room. Bruce laid Damian down in the hyperbaric chamber as the nurse set up the treatment.

Before closing the chamber, the nurse asked, “What did she say?”

Damian gave the biggest smile he could with his remaining strength, “She said yes.”

The nurse smiled, “Good. Congratulations. Just rest, now”

Damian gave a short nod before falling into an exhausted sleep.

_Three Days Later…_

Damian’s trip to Robin’s room for her birthday proposal was well-received by everyone, except for Dr. Ho. Damian pushed his recovery too fast, and Dr. Ho had to adjust Damian’s treatment schedule to account for a missed treatment and overexertion. Damian’s hyperbaric treatments were extended from four hours at a time to six hours, and he was forbidden from leaving his room until he was stronger. Damian didn’t like the new restrictions, but he followed them, knowing that he was getting stronger.

Bruce and Mike were employed as a messenger service between the newly engaged couple. They had started passing notes, as neither teen was allowed out of their room until their discharge from the hospital. Damian and Robin were kind enough to keep their correspondence short, and tame. Neither of them wanted their father to have to relay what they really wanted to say to each other.

The extended time in the hyperbaric chamber allowed Damian to improve dramatically, and three days after Robin’s birthday, Damian was well enough to be discharged from the hospital.

“How much longer, Father,” Damian asked through the glass of his hyperbaric chamber. The nurse had promised that this was his last treatment.

Bruce checked a readout. He had become very familiar with the device over the last weeks. “Another hour and a half. They put you in for longer this time, remember?”

Damian sighed as he turned to lay on his side and look at his father through the window. “Where are we going from here?”

“The airport,” Bruce said.

Damian’s eyes widened, “We’re leaving right away? What about the Abbey’s?”

The Abbey’s new house was still under construction, and would be for several more weeks. Mike had confirmed with Bruce that they were returning to Gotham once Robin was discharged, until their Alaska home could be rebuilt.

“We aren’t leaving yet, Damian,” Bruce said, “The Abbey’s are coming with us, don’t worry. We’re going to the airport because we’ve been here for a long time. I came straight from the airport to the hospital. I don’t have a hotel room out there somewhere. Not that we couldn’t get one, but that would be a waste at this point. We can sleep in the plane for a night or two, until Robin is released.”

“Do we know her discharge date yet,” Damian asked.

Bruce shook his head, “Mike said she was doing much better yesterday. I can’t think she will be too far behind you in getting out of here.”

Damian looked around the room, then asked, “You flew out here alone?”

“I did,” Bruce said.

“And, Alfred flew commercial later?”

“He did,” Bruce said.

“Where did Alfred go,” Damian asked, “He was here when I started this treatment.”

Bruce smiled, “He took Lisa shopping.”

“What for,” Damian asked in confusion.

“The hospital is going to want their gown back when you leave,” Bruce said, “Neither you nor Robin have anything else to wear right now. They went shopping to get you two some clothes.”

Damian thought for a second, “I guess that’s a sign that we’re getting closer to discharge. Um, did you tell Dr. Thompkins what happened? We’re going home after Robin is released. I…I don’t know what kind of problems I’m going to have once I get home.”

Bruce nodded slowly, “I thought of that, too. I talked to Leslie a day or two after you woke up. She knows what’s going on.”

“Have you talked to her since then,” Damian asked, “A lot has changed since I woke up.”

“I’ll call her again when we get ready to leave Alaska,” Bruce said, “I want her to take a look at you once we get home.”

Damian nodded, “That sounds like a good idea.” Damian fell silent for a second, then sighed, “Maybe I’ll sleep in my Nest when I get home. I can barely walk over to Robin’s room right now. Going up and down the stairs is going to be a pain.”

Bruce gave a small smile, “We’ll work it out when we get home, Kiddo. We have an elevator for a reason.”

Alfred walked into the room holding a shopping bag a second before a nurse entered the room. The nurse smiled at Damian as she walked over to the control panel, “Feeling alright?”

Damian shrugged lightly, “I don’t like being in a coffin, but I’m okay.”

“No shortness of breath,” the nurse asked, “no tiredness?”

“I’ve done nothing but sleep and breathe for the last three days,” Damian said, “I’m ready to go.”

The nurse nodded, “Well, you have an hour to go on this treatment. Once you’re done, I’m going to want you to take a little walk, to see how your endurance is doing.”

Damian’s look brightened, “Where are we going to walk?”

“Just around the floor,” the nurse said, “With a small, _short_ , stop next door.”

Damian’s smile grew, “Is Robin in a treatment right now?”

The nurse winked as she headed for the door, “She’ll be done with her treatment a couple minutes before you.”

Damian smiled at the look on Bruce’s face, and asked, “Did you set this up, Father?”

Bruce’s smile grew, “Mike did. He’s trying to become your favorite parent.”

Damian nodded, “He’s learning how to bribe me. I like this.”

“Remember what she said,” Bruce said, “This is a short visit. Probably shorter than your last visit.”

“Any time we can spend together at all is better than nothing,” Damian said.

_An Hour Later…_

Dr. Ho and a nurse walked into Damian’s room. Dr. Ho walked up to the chamber and asked, “How are you feeling, Damian?”

“Pretty good,” the teen said.

“Good,” Dr. Ho said, “Then, let’s get you out of there.”

Dr. Ho opened the hyperbaric chamber and allowed Damian to sit up, “Okay, can you stand up for me? I’m going to examine you. Nurse, remove the gown.”

The nurse walked up behind Damian and asked, “Is that okay?”

Damian gave a shrug with his left arm, “If it gets me out of here faster, go ahead.”

The gown was removed and Dr. Ho walked around behind Damian, “I’m going to take your bandage off and see how the graft is healing.”

Damian gave a slight wince as the gauze was removed, but the pain was far lower than it had been before.

Dr. Ho prodded at the teen’s shoulder and gave a nod that Damian couldn’t see. “That’s what we wanted. It looks great, Damian.”

“How great,” Damian asked.

Dr. Ho removed the strap that still held Damian’s arm to his stomach, “You don’t need this anymore. It looks great enough that it doesn’t need to be bandaged anymore. No bleeding, no seeping, no infection.”

Bruce walked up behind his son and gasped lightly. Damian’s eyes widened as he asked in a concerned tone, “What?”

“It looks like a shoulder again,” Bruce said, “I like looking at the outside of you a lot better than the inside, Kiddo.”

Damian released a nervous breath, “Oh, good.”

“Try moving your arm,” Dr. Ho said.

Damian did, and hissed at his effort, “It’s stiff.”

Dr. Ho nodded, “It’s going to be stiff for a while. It’ll get better, the more you use it. Do you exercise at home a lot.”

Damian smirked, and Alfred had to send a glare at Bruce to keep him from snorting a laugh. “I’m pretty active,” Damian said.

“Well, you’re going to need to take it easy for a while,” Dr. Ho said, “You look pretty strong. If you do any weightlifting, that’s going to have to stop for a month or two, until you get full range of motion back in your arm. PT will see you in the morning to give you some strengthening exercises. The nurses will be checking on you throughout the night to monitor your condition. Other than that, I’ll be glad to get you off our hands.”

Damian turned to the doctor with a sagging jaw, “What?”

Dr. Ho smiled, “You’ve made incredible progress since you were brought in here. I see no reason to keep you here any longer. Assuming the nurses don’t report anything catastrophic overnight, I’ll sign off on your discharge as of noon tomorrow.”

Damian gave a bright smile, “I can really leave?”

Dr. Ho nodded as he clapped a hand on Damian’s uninjured shoulder, “You’ve still got a long way to go before you’re back to where you were, but you don’t need to be here to do that recovery.”

Damian’s look fell, “What about Robin? When can she get out of here?”

Dr. Ho shook his head, “Damian, how many times do I have to tell you that I’m not involved in Robin’s care? I don’t know what her timeline is, but I’ve heard that she’s close behind you.”

The nurse slipped the gown back on Damian and tied it around his back before leaving the room.

Damian glanced up and said, “Thank you, Dr. Ho. I know I would have died without your help. Thank you for everything.”

Dr. Ho gave a small smile, “That’s what we do, Damian, but thank you. I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon; hopefully, for the last time.”

Dr. Ho left the room, and Bruce approached his son. The man couldn’t tell you how good it felt to have both of his son’s arms wrap tightly around him, but he gave a satisfied sigh when it happened. Damian buried his face in Bruce’s chest as he took a relieved breath.

“I want to go home, Dad,” Damian whispered wetly.

Bruce ran his fingers through Damian’s hair, “I know, kiddo. I want to get you home, too.”

Bruce sat down, and Damian climbed into his lap with only a slight wince. “Do your legs still hurt,” Bruce asked.

“A little,” Damian said, snuggling into his father, “They’re getting better. Sitting is okay now. Stretching and bending still hurt.”

Bruce thought for a second, then said, “Damian, I want to show you something. Can you hand me my phone please, Alfred?”

“Of course, sir,” the butler said, handing over the device, then sitting when Bruce patted the seat next to him.

Bruce pulled up a text message trail and let Damian read it. Damian only got through a handful of messages before he said, “Oh.”

The message trail consisted of an ongoing correspondence between Bruce and Selina. Every day for the past month, Selina had sent Bruce a message asking about Damian’s condition. It was the only topic of conversation between the man and woman over the last several weeks.

Damian handed the phone back to Bruce, and Bruce asked, “What do you think of that?”

“She…she was…interested in what has been going on,” Damian asked.

Bruce held up the phone, so Damian could see the text he was sending. ‘We just got some good news. Damian will be discharged tomorrow. We should be home in a couple days.’

Three minutes later, Bruce received a reply. ‘That’s great. I bet he can’t wait to get home. Let me know when I can come over, I’d like to congratulate him on making it back. Do you think he’d be okay with that?’

Bruce looked down at Damian and asked, “Do you think he’d be okay with that?”

Damian thought for a minute before saying softly, “That’s acceptable. I…um…”

Damian trailed off, and Bruce let him think about his next words. He didn’t prompt his son to continue.

Damian took a breath and continued anyway. “I didn’t think Miss Kyle would care about what’s going on. It’s not like we have a good relationship, or even a relationship more than an acquaintance.”

“That can change, Damian,” Bruce said, “If you want it to.”

Alfred gave a small nod, “In the few calls from Miss Kyle that I have overheard, she has been very concerned for your welfare.”

Damian nodded, “I see. Well, I suppose I can be civil…for a meal.”

Bruce rolled his eyes at the response. Alfred said, “Should we inform Master Timothy and Master Jason of our impending arrival?”

Bruce looked down as the cell phone started ringing in his hand, “It seems that is being taken care of for us.”

Bruce handed the phone to Damian, who smiled at Tim’s picture on the screen. “Hello.”

Tim gasped, “Damian! How are you? It’s been a while.”

“I’m much better, thank you,” Damian said, “How are things at home?”

“We’re holding it down,” Tim said, “So, what’s going on? Any news on your discharge?”

Damian gave a small smile, the one he gives when he is truly happy, “Yes. I am scheduled to be released tomorrow. We should be home in a couple days.”

“Damian, that’s excellent,” Tim said happily, “I can’t wait to see you. Tell Bruce that I’ll let Jason know. He’ll probably come pick you up from the airport.”

“Did he get the cast off of his foot yet,” Damian asked.

“It’s been off for a while,” Tim said, “He went back to work last week. He’s already complaining again.”

“It’s what he does best,” Damian said as a nurse walked into the room, “Here’s Father, Tim. I have to see a nurse.”

Damian handed the phone to Bruce and slid out of his lap. Walking up to the nurse, Damian asked, “Did you need to see me?”

The nurse nodded and asked, “Are you ready for your endurance test? We need to see how well you walk.”

“I’m ready,” Damian said with a nod as he tried to smooth out his hair with his hand.

The nurse didn’t hide her smile as she said, “Okay, let’s go.”

Damian walked out of the room and hung a right, heading for Robin’s room. The nurse said, “Stop. This way.”

“Robin’s room is that way, though,” Damian said, pointing down the hall.

The nurse shook her head, “I told you, this is an endurance test. We’re going this way. Anyway, the doctor is in with Robin right now. We can’t interrupt them.”

Damian sighed, “Fine. Where are we going?”

The nurse pointed away from Robin’s room, “We’re just going to take a little walk around the floor. Didn’t anyone ever tell you that you have to do your work before you can get your reward.”

“No,” Damian said.

“That’s a bit of a surprise,” the nurse said, “Did your parents really raise you that way?”

“My parents didn’t raise me; not together, at least. Mother abused me every chance she got. There were no rewards when I lived with her,” Damian took a breath, “Father is a multi-billionaire business owner, who spoils me every chance he gets, because I had to live with Mother for so long and put up with her abuse before he knew I existed.”

The nurse shook her head, “Well, around here, you have to work for your rewards. Your work is to make it twice around the nurse’s station.”

Damian nodded, and they continued on their way.

Damian had slowed down a bit by the end of the second lap, and he was a bit more winded than he thought he’d be, but he made it through his required exercise.

The pair stopped outside of Robin’s room, and the nurse smiled, “You’ve earned it. Go on, she’s waiting for you.”

Damian took a deep breath before reaching for the door. “Thank you,” he said nervously to the retreating nurse.

Taking another breath, Damian slowly opened the door to Robin’s room. Mike and Lisa looked up with a smile, then surprised Damian by standing up and heading for the door.

Mike hugged the teen and whispered, “You look better.”

“Thanks,” Damian said softly.

Lisa hugged Damian and whispered, “You only have half an hour, so make the most of it…Well, within reason.”

Damian smiled, “I’m sure neither of us are in good enough shape for _that_ just yet. Thank you, though.”

Damian entered the room as Lisa closed the door behind her. Robin sat up with a gasp and said, “It’s about time you got here.”

Damian crossed the room as quickly as he could, “They wouldn’t let me come over until after they walked me around the floor a few times.”

Damian sat on the bed with just a hint of a wince and wrapped his arms around Robin. He whispered in her ear, “I told you I still had two arms.”

Robin kissed Damian’s neck, “They feel so good, holding me.”

“You don’t have to be on an oxygen mask anymore,” Damian asked.

Robin shook her head, “No, just the nose thing.” Robin sat back and smiled at Damian, “Guess what? I have three more treatments in the chamber, then they will discharge me.”

Damian grew a bright smile, “That’s great. Did they say how long that will be?”

“Two more days,” Robin said happily.

Damian’s look fell a bit, “Oh. That’s great, and I’m happy, I really am. I’m…I’m just going to miss you.”

“What do you mean,” Robin asked, concerned at Damian’s tone.

Damian took a breath, “They just told me that I’m done with my treatment. I’ll be out of here by noon tomorrow.”

Robin gasped, “Damian, that’s amazing! I’m so happy for you.”

Damian met Robin’s eyes, “I’m happy, too. I was just hoping we could be released at the same time.”

Robin smiled, “I’m sure your Dad will bring you back when I’m released. They told you that we’re going back to Gotham until our house is ready, right?”

Damian nodded happily, “They did. Are you going to be okay, though?”

Robin nodded as Damian snuggled down next to her, “I’ve been walking around my room a bit when I’m not in the chamber. I’m going to be on oxygen when I’m released, but with physical therapy, I’ll be back to myself soon.”

“Will you have any limitations after the hospital,” Damian asked.

Robin looked down sadly, “Yeah. I was looking to continue a couple school activities when I get to college. I was going to try out for the swim team and the band. I…I can’t do either of those, now.”

Damian turned and hugged Robin, “Robin, I’m sorry. I know how much you liked those. Wait…college?”

Robin grew a smile, “Yes. Dad worked it out with the school. Taking what I had already completed, and a couple things I did while in here, I was able to graduate after all.”

Damian gasped, “Robin, that’s great. Congratulations. I’m so proud of you.”

“Thanks,” Robin said, accepting the deep kiss from her fiancé.

They separated for air only a couple seconds later, and neither of them were happy with their current lung capacity. Robin reached around behind Damian and untied the strings holding his gown closed.

Damian’s eyes widened a bit, and he said, “I don’t think either of us are ready for that, no matter how much we both want it.”

“Turn around,” Robin said, pulling at the top of Damian’s gown, “I want to see your burns. I want to see what happened.”

Damian turned and let the gown slip to his waist. Robin’s cool fingertips slid across his back, tracing the edge of his shoulder graft. “That looks like it hurts.”

“It’s so much better than it was when I first woke up here,” Damian said softly, “If you look down from there, there should be a discolored area on my side.”

“Damian, your back is still all red,” Robin said, “It’s all discolored. Except for this white patch here.”

“That’s the area I was talking about,” Damian said, “That’s another skin graft. The third one is to the left of my spine, an inch or so below my rib cage.”

“I can’t even see that one,” Robin said, “It must have been small.”

Damian nodded as he stood up, “Father and Dr. Ho said that one is looking the best out of all my injuries. The burns go down to my knees.”

Robin’s hands slid down Damian’s butt, bringing a smile to his face, “Your thighs are still dark red. Your knees look like the rest of you. Well, like your normal skin tone. Does it hurt?”

Damian sat down again, “It doesn’t really hurt to sit on them anymore. Bending and stretching still hurts. It’ll get better.”

Robin’s hand roamed over Damian’s chest for just short of a minute before she pulled his gown back up and tied it again.

Damian turned and said, “You didn’t have to stop. That felt good.”

“I couldn’t go too far, either,” Robin said, “A nurse could walk in at any time, or our parents. It wouldn’t do to get you too…excited.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time a nurse here had seen me get…excited,” Damian said while blushing.

“Is that so,” Robin asked.

“I was thinking about you,” Damian said,” Things just…happen…to me, when I think about you.”

Robin smiled and was about to snuggle into Damian’s side again when Damian said, “Okay, your turn. Let me see your injuries.”

Robin nodded, “You should come around to the other side of the bed. My burns are on my left side.”

Damian moved around the bed as Robin turned. Damian untied Robin’s gown with a hand that was shaky with excitement. He pushed the gown aside on Robin’s left side. She slipped her left arm out of the gown and held it forward a little more than necessary to see her burns. Flame-shaped marks lined the girl’s side from her armpit to just above her left knee.

Damian trailed his fingers gently over the area and took a deep, contented breath, “I’m glad it wasn’t worse. It could have been so much worse.”

“I don’t think it’s too good,” Robin said sadly.

“I think it’s sexy,” Damian said, “It’s like a tattoo. Like one of those tribal tattoos.”

“I don’t want to be a part of the tribe that has these tattoos,” Robin said. She turned to see that Damian couldn’t take his eyes off of her skin. “You really don’t think it’s too bad?”

Damian shook his head, “No. It’s another part of you, and you are the sexiest person I have ever seen. You have nothing to be embarrassed about. Your side could look like my back, after that fire, but it doesn’t. You look great.”

Robin blushed a bit as she pulled her gown back on. Damian tied the strings after a minute spent rubbing Robin’s shoulders. The pair then settled down on the bed, with Robin’s head naturally landing on Damian’s shoulder.

“Two years and five months,” Robin breathed in Damian’s ear.

Damian closed his eyes with a smile, “When do we want to start planning? Father asked me about living arrangements after we’re married. I didn’t have an answer for that.”

“We don’t need to plan anything yet,” Robin said, snuggling into Damian’s side tightly, “We’ve got the rest of our lives to get it right.”

Damian took a breath and laid his head over to rest on top of Robin’s head. “I love you, Beautiful.”

“I love you too, Lover,” Robin breathed before falling asleep.

_Later…_

Damian was very unhappy when a nurse woke the pair up for Robin’s next treatment. They looked around the room to find Robin’s parents, and Bruce and Alfred, sitting in the room, watching the pair sleep. No one said anything as Damian helped Robin into the chamber again.

Before the door closed, Robin whispered to Damian, “Just three more of these treatments, and I’ll be able to get out of here.”

“I’ll come see you before I’m discharged tomorrow,” Damian said, “You’ll probably be in a treatment, but I’ll see you the day after, and we can spend the entire flight back to Gotham together.”

“I don’t think the airline will be too accommodating, or too comfortable, for that,” Robin said.

“What airline,” Damian scoffed, “We’re going back on one of our private planes. We don’t have to worry about what others think.”

Robin smiled as the chamber was closed, “I like that plan. Get some rest, Lover.”

“I’ll see you soon, Beautiful.”

Damian, Alfred, and Bruce returned to Damian’s room, where his nurse was waiting to examine Damian. He showed to be doing quite well as he laid down on his bed.

“How long were you watching us sleep,” Damian asked.

“About an hour,” Bruce said, “Thanks for keeping it clean.”

Damian’s eyes widened, “An hour? Mrs. Abbey told me we only had half an hour, and I know we spent most of that half hour talking, before we fell asleep.”

Bruce blushed a little, “Mike and I _might_ have barricaded the door for a bit. The nurse didn’t wake you two up the first time she went in because you two were sleeping.”

Damian looked concerned, “That isn’t going to keep Robin in the hospital longer, is it?”

Bruce shook his head, “The nurse took Robin’s vitals before letting you two sleep for a little longer. Her blood pressure, pulse, and temperature were better than they had been at any other time during her stay here. Being with you calmed her.”

Damian smirked, “See? I told you that putting the two of us together would help us get better faster.”

Bruce smiled, “So, what did you two talk about?”

“Our injuries,” Damian said, “Her burns are nowhere near as bad as mine. It’s mostly just a little line down her side.”

“You looked under her gown,” Bruce asked.

Damian shrugged, “It was only fair. She looked under mine. We’re _engaged_ , Father. I think it’s okay. She said my back is looking better than the last time she saw it.”

“It really is, Kiddo,” Bruce said. Alfred nodded in agreement.

Damian gave a small smile, “Robin said she was able to work out a plan with the school. She has done all her work, and she is now a high school graduate.”

“Good for her,” Bruce said, “Mike said she was working on some school work between treatments. I hadn’t heard that she had graduated already.”

“She is scheduled to be discharged the day after tomorrow,” Damian said.

Bruce eyed his son, recognizing the look on his face, “Don’t worry, we aren’t leaving without her.”

Damian released a breath, “Good.”

Damian got up and sat between Bruce and Alfred. He leaned on Bruce’s shoulder and looked over at Alfred, “I’m sorry that I’m such a pain, Alfred. I’m sorry this is taking up so much of your time.”

Alfred looked shocked at the statement, “I am happy that you are recovering so well, Master Damian.”

“Then say so,” Damian said, “You’re a part of this family, too. You don’t have to stay silent. It makes me happy that you chose to come out here and spend weeks in a hospital, watching me. You don’t need to be on duty all the time.”

Alfred glanced at Bruce, who just smiled at the older man. Taking that for permission, Alfred leaned forward and pulled Damian into a tight hug. “You gave us quite a scare, young man. I am very relieved that you are healing as quickly as you are. I know there was nothing you could have done to prevent this tragedy, but please promise me to be more careful in the future.”

Damian gave a small sigh as he returned the hug, “Thank you, Alfred. I’ll try.”

“I know you will, young sir.”

_Two Days Later…_

Robin sighed for the fourth time in the last twenty minutes. She had been approved for discharge, had dressed in the new clothes her mother had purchased, and was waiting for her portable oxygen concentrator to be delivered before she could leave the hospital.

That wasn’t what was bothering the girl.

Lisa rolled her eyes, “Will you relax, Robin? You’ll be out of here in a few minutes.”

“Where’s Damian,” Robin asked impatiently, “He said he’d be here when I got out of the hospital. I was hoping we’d be able to walk out together.”

Mike shook his head, “Sorry to tell you this, but no one walks out of a hospital. I know that this is the first time you’ve ever been in a hospital, so you don’t know this, but everyone who leaves a hospital is wheeled out in a wheelchair. You didn’t see it, because you were in your treatment yesterday, but Damian was wheeled out, too. He didn’t like it, but he wasn’t given a choice. Bruce texted me later and told me Damian told the nurse to stop before the door, so he could walk out on his own.”

Robin smiled, “That sounds like Damian.”

A nurse walked into the room pushing a wheelchair. She handed a box to Mike and said, “There is your portable oxygen concentrator. Remember what we discussed about the batteries. They only last four hours on a charge, so be sure to plug the concentrator in as much as possible. Are you ready to get out of here?”

Robin shrugged sadly, “I guess so. I was hoping Damian would be here to walk out with me.”

Mike smiled, “He’ll be here. We’re going back to Gotham with them. They’re picking us up and taking us to the airport. We’ve got a small surprise for you once we get outside, too.”

Robin eyed her Father, “What is it?”

Lisa stood next to her husband as Robin was helped into the wheelchair, “We called your friends. They’re waiting outside to see you, so you can see them before we leave the state.”

Robin gasped, “Aww, thanks Mom.”

“Are you ready,” the nurse asked.

Robin nodded, “Let’s get out of here.”

Robin was wheeled to the elevator and taken to the lobby. She smiled brightly as the door opened and she saw Damian pacing across the lobby, impatiently waiting for Robin.

Hearing the bell of the elevator, Damian turned to see Robin being pushed out of the elevator. Damian walked over and stood in front of the wheelchair.

“Thank you, nurse,” Damian said, “I’ll take it from here.”

The nurse smiled and said, “Good luck, you two.”

Damian took the nurse’s place behind the chair, leaned down, and whispered in Robin’s ear, “Ready?”

“I am now,” Robin said.

Damian pushed Robin across the lobby, with her parents following behind.

Damian stopped before crossing the motion detector that would open the lobby door and said, “Your friends are waiting outside. Do you want to surprise them?”

Robin nodded, “Help me up, but don’t let me go. I can’t walk too far on my own yet.”

“You know I’m not going to let you go until we get to your house in Gotham,” Damian said, helping the girl up.

Robin wrapped an arm around Damian’s waist as his arm wrapped around her shoulders. Robin glanced over at him for a second before saying, “Let’s get out of here. I never want to see this hospital again.”

_Meanwhile, in Metropolis…_

“Hey, Dad?”

Clark looked up from his crossword puzzle and smiled at his son, “Finally finished your homework, Jonno?”

Jon took a seat on the couch next to the larger man, “Yeah. Do I have training tonight? Damian said we were taking May off, because he’d be in Alaska. It’s June now, though.”

“June first,” Clark said, “Did you try calling him?”

Jon nodded, “Yeah, but I got a message saying his phone was disconnected.”

Clark put down the newspaper, “That’s odd. I can’t see Bruce not paying the bill.”

“Did you talk to Mr. Wayne at your meeting last week,” Jon asked.

Clark shook his head, “He wasn’t there, and Dick is still on his leave, so no one from Gotham showed up to the meeting.”

Jon looked down, “I don’t like this, Dad. It’s strange. It’s like they disappeared.”

“Well, why don’t you call the house,” Clark asked, “Alfred will know what’s going on.”

“Um, can you call with me,” Jon asked, “I…I’m nervous. This isn’t like Damian.”

“You know,” Clark said, “If he’s in Alaska, then he’s with his girlfriend. He could be…busy.”

“I know,” Jon said, “but he gets signal there. I wouldn’t be getting a disconnected message to calls if his phone was just turned off.”

Clark exhaled, “You’re right. Let’s call Wayne Manor and get to the bottom of this.”

Clark pulled out his cell phone and set it to speaker after selecting the manor’s line. A much younger voice than expected answered the call tiredly.

“Hello? I mean, Wayne Residence.”

Clark stared at the phone strangely, “Tim? Is that you?”

The third son answered, “Oh, Clark? Hi. Yeah, it’s Tim. What’s up?”

“You tell us,” Clark said, “Oh, I’m here with Jon. We’re looking for Bruce and Damian.”

Tim sighed, “He didn’t call you, did he. Well, he’s been busy the last month. We all have.”

“Back up, Tim,” Clark said, “What’s going on? Bruce didn’t show up last week at our…”

“Stop,” Tim said firmly, “Call me on my cell phone, not the house line.”

Tim hung up, causing Jon to start shaking with nerves. “What can’t he talk about,” Jon asked hesitantly.

“Let’s find out,” Clark said seriously.

Clark stood up and headed for the Zeta Tube. Jon followed quickly, and a minute later, the Super duo walked into the Bat Cave. The pair walked up to the Manor, and Clark used his super hearing to find Tim’s location. He also noticed that Tim seemed to be the only person home.

Finding the young man in the kitchen, Clark and Jon walked into the room quietly. Tim was staring at his cell phone and sipping at a cup of coffee.

Clark waited until Tim put the mug down before saying, “Okay, Tim. What couldn’t you tell us over the phone?”

Clark was glad he waited for Tim to put down his mug, because the young man jumped off of his stool in surprise.

“Geez, Clark! You could have warned me. Why didn’t you just call?”

“Something’s going on, Tim,” Clark said, “Tell me what it is.”

Tim took a breath to calm himself and motioned to seats around the kitchen island. The trio sat down and Tim asked, “What do you know?”

Clark shook his head, “I know that Bruce didn’t show up at our League meeting last weekend, and Damian’s phone is disconnected. Fill in the blanks.”

Tim nodded slowly, “Okay. You know that Damian went to Alaska for Robin’s Prom and Birthday?”

“We know that,” Jon said.

Tim took a breath, “The night of Prom, there was…an accident.”

“What kind of accident,” Clark asked nervously, resting a hand on Jon’s shaking shoulder.

Tim cringed, “A fire. Robin’s parent’s home burned down.”

Jon gasped, and Clark said, “Oh, no.”

“Yeah,” Tim said, “The smoke alarm went off, and Robin’s parents ran out of the house.”

“What about Damian and Robin,” Clark asked tensely.

Tim shook his head, “It was Prom night. They weren’t supposed to be home. They had other plans, and were supposed to be staying somewhere else that night. I don’t know if the plans changed, or they changed their mind, or what happened. Robin’s parents didn’t know they were still in the house until they got outside and found Robin’s car in the driveway. By then, the house was engulfed. The firefighters had to pull Damian and Robin out.”

“Are…are they…okay,” Jon asked timidly, on the verge of tears.

Tim eyed the boy, “They’re still alive, Jon.”

“Why didn’t they leave when the fire alarm went off,” Clark asked.

Tim shrugged, “I don’t know for sure. According to what I know, neither of them remember anything after going to sleep after Prom. They must have been overwhelmed by the smoke. Bruce said that the Fire Marshall determined the fire started pretty much right under where they were sleeping. They were in the guest room, which was over the garage, and the fire started in the garage. Robin and Damian were rushed to the hospital, where they spent the last several weeks. Bruce and Alfred went to Alaska, to be with Damian. Damian was discharged two days ago, and Robin was discharged yesterday. The plan was to go straight from the hospital to the airport. They should be back any time now. Jason is actually at the airport now, waiting to pick them up.”

The doorbell rang, and Jon jumped out of his seat, “They’re here!”

“Easy, Jon,” Tim said with a smile, “They wouldn’t ring the bell. That will be Dr. Thompkins. I’ll be right back.”

Tim left the kitchen and walked to the front door. Opening the door, he said, “Hello, Doctor.”

“Hi, Timothy,” Dr. Thompkins said, hugging the man, “Where’s my patient?”

“No idea,” Tim said, closing the door behind Leslie, “Jason is waiting at the airport for them.”

Leslie cocked her head at the explanation, “Odd. Bruce said they’d be here by now.”

“They are probably dropping the Abbey’s off at their place on the way here,” Tim said, “They are staying at their house in town while their house in Alaska is being rebuilt.”

Leslie nodded as they walked towards the kitchen, “Bruce didn’t tell me much about what went on. Can you tell me more?”

“A little,” Tim said, “I was just telling Clark and Jon what’s going on. I can regale three at a time.”

Leslie entered the kitchen with Tim, and smiled at the Kryptonians, “Hello, boys. What brings you two over?”

“Hello, Leslie,” Clark said with a smile, “The sudden disappearance of Batman and Robin has been noticed by the League.”

Leslie looked at Clark strangely, “Batman has been seen around town since Bruce has been gone.”

Clark looked at Tim, who grinned, “Jason has been impersonating Batman while Bruce is out of town.”

Clark nodded, “Okay. No wonder he didn’t make it to the League meeting last week. Tim, you were saying there was a fire?”

Tim released a breath, “Yeah. Damian and Robin were pulled out of the house by the fire fighters and rushed to the hospital in critical condition. Miraculously, they both survived with burns and smoke inhalation. Damian had to have three…well, three and a half, skin grafts on his back.”

“Three and a half,” Leslie asked.

Tim nodded, “One of them got infected, and he had to have emergency surgery on it. I guess they were able to save it. I never got a run-down of Robin’s injuries. Damian had third degree burns to forty percent of his body, and he was on oxygen for severe smoke inhalation up until the day before his discharge.”

Clark swallowed hard, holding on to a shocked Jon, “Where was he burned?”

“His back,” Tim said, “Basically, as Bruce described it, from his shoulders to his knees.”

Leslie shook her head, “He’s lucky to be out of the hospital so soon.”

Tim nodded, “I guess his worst burns were on his shoulder. His legs might have only been second degree burns.”

Jon looked up at Clark, looking vaguely sick, “I guess we aren’t having training tonight, after all.”

“No, Jonno,” Clark said.

The entire room turned to stare at the door as they heard the lock click and the front door open. Jon disappeared for a second, only to be caught at the kitchen door by Clark.

“Not so fast, Kiddo,” Clark said, “You’ll see your friend, but let him get used to being home for a minute. We should probably wait here, until he’s ready.”

“Not me,” Leslie said, “I have a patient to examine.”

Leslie and Tim walked into the entryway to see Alfred holding the door while Bruce helped an exhausted-looking Damian stagger into the house.

Damian looked up and sighed, “Not that I’m not happy to see you, Dr. Thompkins, but I’ve seen nothing but doctors for the last month. I’m sick of your whole profession.”

Leslie smiled as she continued to walk closer, “Nice to see you up and around, honey. You’re going to see me whether you want to or not. Might as well get it over with.”

Damian drew himself up to his full height, standing several inches taller than the woman, and stared at her for half a minute. Bruce was getting ready to interject that he called Leslie and asked her to come over when Damian took a step forward and hugged the doctor. His grip wasn’t as tight as she thought it could be, but the teen had just spent a month in the hospital.

“Let’s do it, then,” Damian said softly, “I really want to change out of these clothes, so can you examine me in my room?”

“Of course, honey,” Leslie said.

Damian let the woman go and turned to Tim. Damian nearly fell onto his older brother.

Tim caught the teen, who was hugging him tightly, and asked, “Where can I touch you that won’t hurt you?”

“Lower back is okay,” Damian said softly.

Tim adjusted his arms, and Damian said, “Hi, Tim.”

“Hi, Little Brother,” Tim said softly.

Damian took a step back a minute later, and Tim said, “You have a couple visitors.”

“I do,” Damian asked.

“Clark and Jon are here,” Tim said, nodding.

Damian’s look fell, and he said, “I don’t want to see them. Not like this.”

Bruce took a step forward and said, “I’ll run interference, but you’ll have to say hi before they leave.”

“Um,” Damian said hesitantly, “I was…could you come up with us?”

Bruce saw the indecisive look on Damian’s face and said, “Sure. Tim, can you hold them off for a while?”

Tim nodded, “No problem.”

It took a lot longer for Damian to climb the stairs than he thought it would. He was out of breath by the time he reached his room.

“Damn, I’m out of shape.”

“You’re recovering from a serious lung injury,” Bruce said, “You can’t expect everything to be perfect just because they let you out of the hospital.”

“Alright, honey,” Leslie said as Bruce closed the bedroom door, “Let’s see it. The sooner I take a look, the sooner we’ll be done.”

Damian nodded and sat down on his bed with a wince. He untied his shoes and pulled them and his socks off. Damian unbuttoned his pants and let them fall to the floor as he stood up. It wasn’t easy to get his t-shirt off, because lifting his right arm was still painful, but he managed it with just a small whimper.

Leslie walked over as Damian turned his back to the doctor. She tapped his left shoulder and said, “Come over here, closer to the light. I can barely make anything out over here.”

They walked closer to the lamp, and Leslie did a double-take when she turned back around. “You didn’t have to take your underwear off, Damian.”

“You said you wanted to see my burns,” the boy said, “They go all the way down to my knees.”

Damian turned around, and Leslie took a close look at Damian’s back. After a minute, Leslie asked, “Bruce, did you lie to me?”

“What do you mean, Leslie,” Bruce asked.

“You said three skin grafts. I only see two. This one, and this one.” Leslie tapped two spots on Damian’s back. Damian flinched and cringed at the taps. “Did that hurt, Damian?”

Damian nodded, “The one on my shoulder did. The one on my side didn’t.”

“Well, where is number three,” Leslie asked.

Damian reached around and touched a spot to the left of his spine, an inch or so below his rib cage. “Right around here.”

“You’re joking.”

Bruce looked at the spot and said, “Nope. That’s where it is.”

“That is the best skin graft I’ve ever seen,” Dr. Thompkins said.

“Dr. Ho did a good job there,” Bruce agreed.

Leslie felt Damian’s right shoulder graft, “Is this the one that Tim told me had to be touched up?”

“Yes,” Damian said, with an edge in his voice.

“It’s causing you pain, isn’t it,” Leslie asked gently.

“How can you tell,” Damian asked.

“I noticed you struggling when you took your shirt off,” Leslie said, “Let’s test range of motion.”

Leslie had Damian move his arm in all different directions. He winced several times, trying to push himself too far.

“Okay, so that’s your benchmark. If you go slower, can you lift your arm straight up?”

“I don’t want to tear anything,” Damian mumbled.

“What do you think you’re going to tear,” Leslie asked.

Damian turned to face the doctor, “That’s why I had to have emergency surgery on the graft. I moved my arm too much, the graft didn’t heal right, and it got infected. I don’t want to go through another surgery.”

Leslie smiled, “Damian, the graft has completely fused to your shoulder, like it should. It’s not going to come off if you move your arm.”

Bruce took out his phone, walked up behind Damian, and took pictures of his back, “It’s really a lot better, Damian. It doesn’t look anything like that first picture I showed you in the hospital.”

Bruce handed Damian the phone, and the teen studied the picture for a minute. He then swiped at the screen and brought up the first pictures. Leslie gasped at the sight of Damian’s back in the picture.

“How long after the fire was this picture taken?”

“A week or so,” Bruce said.

“This was when I first woke up,” Damian said, “after the third skin graft.”

Leslie gripped Damian’s left shoulder, “You did a number on yourself, kid. It’s healed a lot in the last month. You can get dressed now. Can you lay on your back?”

“Not comfortably,” Damian said as he walked over to his dresser and pulled on a pair of boxers, “It’s getting better, though. I spent the first couple weeks laying on my stomach, because I couldn’t lay on my back without bleeding.”

Leslie smiled as she glanced down, “Feel more like home now?”

Damian looked down at the black silk boxers with the yellow bat symbols on them and smiled, “They’re silk, so they’re soft and cool on my butt. Those burns still hurt.”

“At least your skin color is returning to normal,” Bruce said, “You’re not nearly as red as you used to be.”

Damian pulled on a pair of loose-fitting shorts and said, “That’s good.”

Leslie walked up to Damian holding a stethoscope, “Before you put your shirt on, let me listen to your lungs.”

Leslie listened to the teen breathe, then shook her head, “You’ve got a long road ahead of you.”

Damian looked down, “Don’t tell me that.”

“I have to,” Leslie said, “I don’t want you pushing yourself too hard.”

“No. It’s…” Damian swallowed hard, “Robin…Robin’s lungs are worse than mine. I don’t want to hear that my lungs are bad, because that means that hers are worse.”

Bruce stepped up to stand next to Damian, “Actually, Leslie, the Abbey’s are going to want to see you. Or, to have you see Robin. I gave them your number. Mike will probably call you tomorrow.”

Leslie nodded, “I’m surprised they aren’t just staying here.”

Bruce shrugged as Damian pulled on a t-shirt with more than a little pain, “They have a house in town. They’re probably just looking for something to make sense in their lives right now. Kind of like us.”

“Right,” Leslie said, then turned back to Damian, “Okay, honey. You can start light, and I mean _light,_ exercise tomorrow. Absolutely no patrolling, though.”

Damian nodded, “Okay. Thank you, Dr. Thompkins.”

“You’ve got a long road ahead of you. Take it easy.”

“I don’t have much of a choice right now,” Damian said softly.

The trio walked out of the bedroom, but stopped at the top of the stairs when Damian stopped.

“What is it, Pal,” Bruce asked.

“Um, do I have to go back downstairs,” Damian asked.

“Are you tired, or are you not in a mood to see people,” Bruce asked.

Damian looked up, “I don’t want to go up and down the stairs right now.”

Bruce nodded, “Go rest, Kiddo.”

“You can send Jon up,” Damian said, “Just because I don’t want to go downstairs doesn’t mean I want to be alone.”

Damian returned to his room as Bruce and Leslie walked down the stairs.

Bruce asked softly, “Is he really going to be okay?”

“Put the parental worry on simmer, Bruce,” Leslie said, “For everything he’s been through, he’s in good shape. He’s going to have to put in some real work to recover fully, but it’s nothing he can’t handle. You know how fast he heals. If he didn’t heal as fast as he does, he would probably still be in the hospital right now.”

Bruce closed his eyes and released a breath through his nose, “Thanks, Leslie.”

“In here, Bruce,” Tim called from the front sitting room.

Bruce and Leslie walked into the sitting room, and were nearly tackled by a concerned Jon. “How’s Damian? Is he okay? Where is he?”

Bruce smiled, “Relax, Jon. He’ll be okay. He’s a little tired right now. You can go up and…”

Bruce didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence. As soon as Bruce said go up, Jon disappeared in a gust of wind that nearly knocked Leslie over. Tim and Jason laughed as Alfred shook his head.

“Sorry, Alfred,” Clark said sheepishly, “Jon was really scared when he tried to call Damian and got a disconnected line.”

Bruce and Leslie sat down, and Bruce said, “I’ll have to get him a new phone soon. So, was it just Jon who was worried?”

“You didn’t show up for our meeting last week,” Clark said, “It’s not the first time that’s happened, so we let it go. If you didn’t show up for next week’s meeting, then we would have gone looking for you.”

“Depending on how he’s doing, I might not show up again,” Bruce said.

Clark shrugged, “At least we’ll have an explanation, this time. What really happened?”

Bruce shook his head, “We only know bits and pieces, really, but given how Mike and Lisa described the kids looking when they got to the hospital, maybe the fact that the kids don’t remember what happened is a good thing.”

Bruce pulled out his phone and showed Clark the pictures he took of Damian’s back in the hospital.

“Oh my god,” Clark exclaimed.

“That’s after three skin graft surgeries,” Bruce said. He pulled up the picture taken earlier and said, “This was upstairs, when Leslie was examining him today.”

“He did a lot of healing between those pictures,” Clark said.

“He still has a long way to go, though,” Bruce said.

_Meanwhile, Upstairs…_

“Did Tim call and tell you I was coming home today?”

Jon paced nervously in the hall, wringing his hands, “No, we called.”

“Will you get in here already,” Damian said with a small smile, “You don’t need an invitation to enter my room, Jon. I told Father to have you come up here. I want to see you.”

Jon walked nervously into the room. Damian patted the bed next to him, hoping to get Jon to relax a bit. Jon took a seat on the bed, trying not to be obvious that he was looking Damian up and down, and trying not to react at every wince of pain that Damian unconsciously gave as he moved slightly on the bed.

“You…you don’t look like you spent a month in the hospital.”

Damian nodded, “I feel like it, though.”

“I mean,” Jon tried to find the right words, “You look like…you.”

Damian gave a small smile, “All my injuries were to my back. I’m okay, Jon. Really.”

“Can…can I see,” Jon asked.

Damian shook his head, “No. I…I’m not comfortable with that yet. Maybe a little farther removed from everything, but not now.”

“Okay,” Jon said quickly.

Damian leaned a bit closer to Jon and said, “Hey, it’s not you. I just don’t feel comfortable showing that to anyone yet. I know how bad my back used to look. It’s worse now. You don’t need to see that.”

Jon nodded, “Okay. Thanks. So, are you coming back to the team?”

Damian smiled, “Is that why you called Tim?”

“Well, yeah,” Jon said, “You said we weren’t meeting in May. It’s June now, though.”

Damian rolled his eyes, “June first.”

“Still June,” Jon said, his mood lightening a bit, “Your phone is disconnected.”

“My phone is a melted lump of plastic, somewhere in the wreckage of Robin’s parent’s home. So is my laptop, for that matter.” Damian sighed, “I hope my back-ups are still intact, otherwise I just lost every picture Robin and I ever took.”

Jon cocked his head and looked at Damian strangely, “Then, what are those?”

“What are what,” Damian asked.

Jon hooked his thumb at Damian’s desk. Damian looked around Jon in confusion. On his desk was a laptop and cellphone.

“What the hell,” Damian mumbled as he and Jon walked over to the desk, “Where did those come from?”

“Did your Dad get them,” Jon asked.

“When,” Damian asked, “He’s been with me at the hospital in Alaska for the last month.”

Jon shrugged, “Well, someone left them here.”

“Text your Dad and have him send Tim up here,” Damian said.

Jon smiled, “It’d be faster if I just flew down there.”

“We’re not in that much of a hurry,” Damian said.

“Okay,” Jon said, pulling out his phone and sending the message.

The boys walked back and sat down on the bed again, and the boys fell silent. Jon glanced nervously at Damian, and the older boy could see the unasked questions in the youth’s eyes.

Damian took a breath and said quietly, “You don’t believe that I’m really okay, do you.”

“You’re _not_ okay, though,” Jon mumbled.

“Not yet,” Damian agreed, “but I’ll get there.”

“I don’t want to lose my brother,” Jon said, trying to blink away the tears that had been threatening to fall since he heard that Damian had been so close to death.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Damian whispered as he pulled Jon gently into a hug, “It’ll take a lot more than a little fire to kill me.”

“But, what if…”

“Shh,” Damian said, cutting Jon off, “No ‘what ifs’. I’m here. I’m alive, and I plan on staying that way for a very long time.”

“I was scared, D,” Jon said, resting his head on Damian’s shoulder.

“I know,” Damian said, “And I’m sorry you had to find out this way. Just let it go, Jon. Get it out of your system.”

Jon started to shake as Damian gave him permission to let his feelings out.

Damian rested his hand on the back of Jon’s head as he felt the tears soak into his shirt.

“I’m here, Little Brother,” Damian whispered, “I’m here for you.”

Tim, standing frozen in the hall at the sound of Jon crying, wasn’t quite sure what to do next. The youths had called for him, but Tim doubted that Jon had been crying when he sent the message four minutes ago.

Tim peeked around the doorframe and found Jon holding tightly to his older friend. Damian stared openly at Tim as he comforted his friend, almost daring the older man to make a remark.

Tim mouthed silently, “Want me to come back?”

Damian held up his hand, showing five fingers, and mouthed, “Five minutes.”

Tim nodded and walked away from the room.

Tim took a seat on the top step of the grand staircase, and was confused as to why Clark was climbing the stairs.

“What’s happening, Tim,” Clark asked as he got closer, “I thought I heard Jon crying.”

Tim nodded, “You did. It’s okay, though.”

“What did Damian do,” Clark asked.

Tim gave a small smile, “If I had to guess, I would say that he almost died, and scared his little brother.”

Clark moved to step around Tim, but Tim held up a hand to block him, “Let Damian handle it. He was doing a good job when I stuck my head in the room a minute ago.”

“He didn’t just tell him to suck it up, or something like that, did he,” Clark asked.

_Wow,_ Tim thought, _he’s more of a protective parent than Bruce is._ “If by ‘suck it up’, you mean ‘it’ll be okay, Jon, you can cry on my shoulder’, then yes.”

Clark stared hard in the direction of Damian’s bedroom, and Tim could swear he could see the x-rays coming out of Clark’s eyes.

After a minute, Clark took a breath and nodded. “I’m sorry. I guess I should have a little more faith in Damian at this point.”

Tim shrugged as Clark took a seat next to Tim on the stairs, “I guarantee you, Damian wanted a hug, too. Your kid is cuddly.”

“Brothers,” Clark said.

“Damian takes that title very seriously,” Tim said, “Were they done yet?”

Clark turned back and looked through the wall again, “Yeah. Jon is in the bathroom, washing his face.”

Tim nodded and stood, “I guess we can go see what they wanted now.”

Damian met Tim and Clark at his bedroom door. Before they could say anything, Damian glanced at the bathroom door and whispered, “Don’t say anything about Jon crying. If we made it past it, he’ll see that things are getting back to normal.”

Tim and Clark nodded as the bathroom door opened.

Damian spoke up, “It’s about time you got up here. Jon texted you, like, ten minutes ago. It’s a big house, but not that big.”

Tim smiled, “Well, we’re here now. What’s up?”

Damian walked over to his desk, “Did someone move in while I was gone?”

“No,” Tim said in a confused tone, “Why?”

Damian pointed to the devices on the surface, “I took my phone and laptop with me. They melted, somewhere in Robin’s room. What are those?”

Tim reached out to pat Damian’s shoulder. He stopped awkwardly at the last second, then said, “They’re replacements. We just need to get them hooked up and you should be all set to go.”

Damian smirked up at Tim, “Why did you leave them here, if they’re yours?”

Tim looked confused, “I just told you, they’re…”

“Replacements from the Replacement,” Damian interrupted with a chuckle.

Tim rolled his eyes hard, but smiled at the remark, “I guess you’re feeling better, to make a remark like that. I’ll help you get them hooked up after dinner, if you want.”

“I do,” Damian said, “Thanks, Tim.”

Damian picked up the phone and turned it over in his hands. Tim nodded at the device, “That’s our latest model.”

Damian sighed, “I miss my old phone.”

“This one is better in every way,” Tim said.

Damian looked up, “But it isn’t the very first one. My last phone was serial number one. I was the first person in the world who had that phone, and the only one who had it for months.”

Tim rolled his eyes, “Bruce spoils you.”

“You’re just jealous,” Damian said.

Jon giggled at the interaction. Damian looked up at Tim, with his back to Jon, and mouthed, “Thank you.”

Tim winked at his brother, then asked, “Hey, Bruce said it was your shoulder that was burned. He didn’t say which one, though.”

“How did you not wake up,” Clark asked.

Damian turned and shook his head, “I don’t know. Robin and I went to bed after Prom and woke up a week later in the hospital.”

“That’s all you remember,” Jon asked.

Damian gave a soft smile, “I remember a few things your Father doesn’t want me telling you, but that was all before the fire, and had nothing to do with what happened after we went to bed.”

“What does that mean,” Jon asked, with a confused look on his face.

Clark glared at Damian, while Tim smiled and said, “You’ll understand, when it’s a little closer to your own Senior Prom.”

“Oh,” Jon said, his look clearing, “Why didn’t you just say sex?”

“JON,” Clark exclaimed, while Tim and Damian busted out laughing uncontrollably.

“Because I wasn’t going to be the one to trigger that reaction,” Damian said between giggles.

Clark turned Jon and looked into his eyes, “Jon, you, me, and your mother are going to have a long talk when we get home.”

“We already had that talk, Dad,” Jon said.

“He probably means where and when it is appropriate to talk about certain things,” Damian said.

Tim again reached out to Damian, only to stop before touching the teen. He released a breath through his nose before asking, “Okay, which shoulder was burned? Or, was it both?”

“My right shoulder,” Damian said.

Tim nodded as he reached around and laid his hand on Damian’s left shoulder. He felt better, being able to feel his brother, whole and mostly intact. “Did we answer your question?”

“Yes,” Damian said, leaning closer to Tim, but stopping just short of laying his head on Tim’s shoulder, “I was confused at the appearance of new devices. I know where mine are…or were.”

“Well, now you know where your new ones are,” Tim said.

Clark looked down at his son, “Did we answer your question, Jonno? We know what happened to Damian now.”

Jon nodded nervously, knowing that his father would have them leave soon. He didn’t want to go just yet. “Um, what did Dr. Thompkins say when she examined you?”

Damian took a breath, “I’m healing. Father took a picture of my back while I was in the hospital, and one up here, when we got home. It looks a lot better than it did. I can start working out again tomorrow, but I can’t do anything close to patrolling or team training for a while. I’ll admit that I’m not in good enough shape to keep up with the team right now. I’ll see what I can do for a few days, then we’ll judge when I can return to the team.”

“Are you going to talk to the team,” Jon asked.

Damian nodded, “In a couple days, once I know more, and have had some time to rest. I’m really tired right now, Jon.”

Jon looked down, “Oh, okay. Did you want us to leave?”

Damian didn’t like the tone of Jon’s voice. The boy sounded too sad for the occasion. “Yes, but you don’t have to leave yet. I’m sure you two can stay for dinner. I can’t see that being a problem.”

Tim caught on to what Damian was trying to do, “You’re supposed to be resting, Damian. I think I heard Dr. Thompkins say that you need a lot of rest. Why don’t you sit down?”

Damian nodded and headed back to his bed.

Clark ruffled Jon’s hair and said, “I need to talk to Bruce, Jonno. Why don’t you stay here and make sure Damian stays in bed?”

Jon looked up with a smile and said, “Okay, Dad. Thanks.”

Jon knew it was just an excuse to allow him a couple more minutes with Damian, to help settle his mind, but he took it. Damian was climbing across the bed to lean against the headboard by the time Jon turned around. Jon followed Damian over to the bed and sat down next to his brother.

“So, what happens now,” Jon asked.

Damian shrugged, with some pain, “I’m not really making plans, right now. I really don’t know what my healing process is going to look like. Once I get my phone hooked up again, and once Robin gets a phone again, we’ll spend a lot of time talking. We have a lot of time to make up for.”

Jon looked at Damian strangely, “We’re you with Robin the whole time you were in Alaska?”

Damian shook his head, “Out of the last month, I spent five days with Robin before the fire, and roughly two and a half to three hours with her in the hospital. The whole point of the trip was to spend Robin’s birthday with her. I got to see her for all of forty-five minutes on her actual birthday, but I got to give her the present I spent so long working on. It was the only thing I brought to Alaska with me that survived the fire.”

“What was it,” Jon asked, “You never told me what you were planning. Not the whole thing, at least.”

Damian smiled as he leaned back on the bed, “I had it all planned out. I made her believe that spending the month in Alaska was her birthday present. Assuming everything went well, I was going to surprise her with the big surprise just before her birthday party. We didn’t get that far before the fire, but I still got to give her the big surprise, thanks to her Father.”

“What was it,” Jon asked again.

“An engagement ring,” Damian said dreamily, “I asked Robin to marry me.”

“But…aren’t you too young to do that,” Jon asked, confused, “You’re only fifteen.”

Damian turned and winked at Jon, “The law only says that we can’t get _married_ until we’re eighteen. It doesn’t say anything about getting engaged. We have two and a half years to get everything planned.”

The room was silent for a minute as Jon processed the information. Damian was vaguely nervous at Jon’s response to the news, and found that feeling to be a little strange, in his mind.

Wanting any reaction from his brother, Damian asked, “Well? What do you think?”

“I…I don’t know,” Jon said, “I mean, that’s a huge step, getting married.”

“We aren’t getting married,” Damian said, “Not yet. Nothing is going to change, Jon. In our minds, Robin and I have been engaged for years. We just made it official.”

“Um, do we get to come to your wedding,” Jon asked.

Damian was pretty sure that the we Jon mentioned was the team. “Are you kidding? I would be very upset, and very sad, if you didn’t come to my wedding. I don’t have a lot of friends. I think I can guarantee that all of them, including you, will be invited.”

Jon grew a smile, “Thanks. Oh! Congratulations. I’m really happy for you and Robin. I’m surprised that she didn’t post this on Facebook.”

Damian snorted a laugh, “Her phone and laptop suffered the same fate as mine. Getting replacements has not been high on our list of priorities. I’m sure it will be her first post, once she gets back online. I’m actually okay with that.”

Damian and Jon looked towards the door and both smiled as a large dog was followed into the room by an average sized cat. Both animals jumped up on the bed. The cat curled up in Damian’s lap while the dog laid down between the boys.

Damian sighed contentedly and said softly, “Titus, Alfred, I missed you two.”

Alfred the butler walked into the room carrying a tray, and smiled at the sight. “I was wondering how long it would take for those two to realize that you were home. I’m sure they missed you.”

“What’s the tray for, Mr. Alfred,” Jon asked.

Alfred set the tray over Jon’s legs and said, “Dinner, Master Jonathan. I shall be back with yours in just a minute, Master Damian.”

Damian shook his head, “Why did you cook, Alfred? You have to be just as tired as I am.”

“Needless to say, it will be an early night for all of us,” Alfred said, “At the same time, you need to keep your strength up to continue healing. I shall return shortly.”

Alfred left the room, and Jon stared hungrily at the tray I front of him. Damian smiled and said, “Go ahead, Jon. Eat, while it’s still hot.”

“You sure,” Jon asked, looking over at Damian, “I can wait for you.”

“I’m sure,” Damian said.

Jon started eating, and Alfred returned with a second tray a minute later. The feline Alfred wasn’t happy that the butler Alfred set the tray over Damian’s lap, but stayed still, instead of running and overturning the tray that had been set over him.

The boys finished their dinner quickly. Damian was very happy to be on regular food again, instead of hospital food. Jon found his appetite now that he was starting to believe that Damian really would be okay. He also absolutely loved Alfred’s cooking, as did everyone who was ever fed by the butler.

When they were done eating, and had moved their trays to the side of the bed, Jon looked down and said softly, “I’ll probably have to go soon.”

Damian looked over and asked, “Do you have school tomorrow?”

Jon looked at Damian strangely, “Tomorrow’s Sunday.”

Damian angled his head, “Really? I have no idea what day it is anymore. My hospital room didn’t have a window. I lost track of the days pretty quickly. I was unconscious for five days after the fire, and for several days in-between, due to surgeries and treatments. It’s going to take a while to get used to regular time again. Everything in the hospital was centered around treatment schedules, not a regular timetable.”

Jon looked nervous as he asked, “Um, Tim said that Robin’s house burned down. Where is she now? Is she…is she homeless now?”

Damian gave a small smile, happy that Jon was concerned about his girlfriend, “Technically, yes. They came back to Gotham with us.”

Jon looked confused, “Is she here? Why didn’t we see her when you got here?”

Damian shook his head, “I wish she was here. The Abbey’s have a house in Gotham. They lived here before moving to Alaska, remember.”

“She told me that,” Jon said, “We’ve talked a few times on Facebook.”

“They’re staying at their house in town until their house in Alaska is rebuilt,” Damian said. He then asked, a little hesitantly, “Um, do you two talk a lot online?”

Jon shrugged, “I don’t know about a lot, but we send messages to each other occasionally. Kind of like when you and I text. We’re just…friends, I guess. Is that okay?”

Damian thought for a second before he started nodding slowly, “You’re my brother. She’s my fiancé. I…I’m actually pretty happy that you two are friends.”

“So, when will I actually get to meet her,” Jon asked.

Damian thought about it, then said, “I don’t know when she will be going back to Alaska, so you probably won’t be able to meet her while she’s still here. I know it’s a while off, but probably at my birthday. Robin talked me into having a party this year. Father said sixteen has to be big, and I’m kind of nervous for what he has in mind. You’ll definitely meet her then.”

“Cool,” Jon said, then turned his head towards the door.

“What is it,” Damian asked. He hadn’t heard anything outside of the room.

Jon sighed, “Dad’s calling me. It must be time to go.”

_Right. Super hearing._ “Okay. I should get some rest. I’m starting exercising again tomorrow, in the hopes of regaining my strength quicker. I’ll walk you downstairs.”

Jon stood up and said, “You don’t have to do that, if you’re tired. You should rest.”

Damian smiled as he stood up and walked towards the door. He hated how slow he had to move in his current state. “Are you coming, or not?”

Jon followed, and was confused when Damian turned left out of his room, instead of right. “Where are you going?”

“I know exactly how strong I am right now, Jon,” Damian said as he stopped in front of a door that Jon couldn’t remember from their days of exploring the house.

Damian pushed a button and waited. A minute later, a soft chime sounded and the door opened, revealing an elevator. Damian looked at Jon and said, “Like I said, I know how much strength I have right now, and that is not a lot. This is much easier than the stairs.”

The boys rode down to the ground floor, and Jon was again amazed at the wonders to be found in Stately Wayne Manor. He had completely forgotten that the house had an elevator in it.

Damian stopped in the hall outside of the elevator and turned to Jon, “I won’t be able to go down to the cave to see you off when you and your Father leave, so I’ll say goodbye now.” Damian pulled Jon into a quick hug, “I’ll also say thank you for staying with me upstairs. I really didn’t want to be alone.”

“You’d do the same for me,” Jon said, returning the hug and hoping he wasn’t squeezing too tightly, “You’ll get better soon, I know it. You always say you heal fast.”

“I do,” Damian said, “I amazed the doctors in the hospital. Their original guess for how long I’d be in the hospital was two months. I got out in less than one. Don’t worry, I’ll be back with the team before you know it.”

“When are you going to talk to the team about this,” Jon asked as they walked towards the front sitting room, “Or, do they already know?”

Damian shook his head, “If I was smart, I’d call everyone tomorrow. We’ll see what happens. I want to be the one who tells them, Jon.”

Jon nodded quickly, “Yeah. That’s probably for the best. You can explain it better than I can.”

The boys entered the sitting room, and everyone was surprised to see Damian.

Bruce stood and smiled at his son, “You must be feeling better, if you made it down here.”

“We took the elevator, Father,” Damian said, “I’m feeling okay. A good, solid meal helped, instead of the hospital food. I won’t be able to make it downstairs when you leave, Mr. Kent, so I’ll say goodbye here.”

Clark stood up and approached the teen with a smile, “We, unfortunately, do have to go. I’m glad to see you’re doing so well. You’ll be back to yourself in no time.”

“Thank you, Mr. Kent,” Damian said, looking around the room, “Did Dr. Thompkins leave?”

Bruce nodded, “Mike called sooner than I thought he would.”

Damian’s jaw dropped, “Is Robin okay?”

“I didn’t hear how she’s doing,” Bruce said, “Mike called to set up an appointment for tomorrow, not to ask Leslie to rush over. She must be okay.”

Damian relaxed at the news, and nodded, “Okay, Father.”

“Let’s go, Jonno,” Clark said, “You’re Mom’s not too happy that we missed dinner, and even less happy that we didn’t invite her over here for dinner. Time to face the music.”

Jon cringed at the thought, “Um, can I spend the night here?”

Clark laughed at his son, “Not a chance. If I have to face your Mom’s wrath, then so do you.”

“Okay, Dad,” Jon said in a sigh, then turned to Damian, “Call me when you get your phone working, and let me know how you’re doing.”

Damian patted Jon’s shoulder, “I’ll call you when I get a chance.”

“Feel better, Damian,” Clark said as he, Jon, and Bruce left the sitting room.

Damian sat down on the couch, cringing as his weight pressed down on his burns.

Jason looked at Damian and asked softly, “Are you okay? You look like you’re in pain.”

“I am,” Damian said, “The only burns that still really hurt are the ones on my legs. Sitting isn’t fun.”

Jason moved from the chair to the couch, next to Damian, “So, tell us, how much of your plan did you get through? Replacement couldn’t get details out of Gina.”

Tim was leaning forward, wanting to hear the details as well.

Damian sighed, “Not as much as I wanted. The fire happened on Prom night.”

Tim smiled, “Come on, Damian. You know what we want to know.”

Damian smirked, “I set up the trip to happen essentially in two parts. I wanted to get through Prom first, before I worked on Robin’s birthday. We only got through Prom.”

“How was the dance,” Tim asked.

Damian’s smirk softened into a warm smile, “It was great. Amazing. It went so fast, though. All that preparation just for four hours. We spent most of the time dancing. We didn’t even realize how quickly the night was passing. I wouldn’t mind spending a few more nights like that. It was like…it was like we were the only people in the room. I couldn’t even tell you if we were dancing with the music. We were so caught up in each other.”

“Did you two get pictures,” Jason asked.

Damian looked at Jason strangely, then said, “That’s right, you weren’t here when Mrs. Abbey video called Father. Where were you?”

Jason shook his head, “No one told me about a video call.”

Tim looked over, “You had just gotten your cast off. Bruce took you to get the new truck that morning. You were still driving around.”

Jason clicked his tongue and sighed, “Now you tell me.”

“Mrs. Abbey was supposed to text Father the pictures she took of us,” Damian said, “I don’t know what happened to the pictures the school took. Pretty sure no one ever picked them up, if they’re even ready yet.”

“Well, what about your other plan,” Jason asked.

Damian shook his head, “Everything I took to Alaska was lost in the fire.”

Jason looked down, “Then, you didn’t get to propose? I’m sorry, Squirt. I know you were excited for that.”

Damian looked over at Jason, until the man looked over. A slow smile crossed Damian’s face as he said, “Everything I took to Alaska was lost in the fire…except Robin’s ring. I have no idea how it survived, but it did. Mr. Abbey found it before giving the construction company the go-ahead to rebuild. I still got to propose on Robin’s birthday, like I had planned. She said yes.”

Jason gave a genuine smile and said, “You probably won’t believe me, with our past relationship, but I’m happy for you. She deserves someone much better than you, but you two are happy together. Congratulations.”

Damian nodded, “Thank you. I’ve been telling her that for years, that she deserves someone better than me. I’m glad she never listened.”

Bruce returned to the sitting room and smiled at his sons sitting together, talking civilly. He walked up behind the couch, placed his palm on the top of Damian’s head, and forced the boy’s head back, until Damian was looking up at him.

“Aren’t you tired, kiddo,” Bruce asked.

Damian nodded, moving Bruce’s hand with his head, “I am. Coming down here wasn’t the smartest idea, but it’s too late to change it.”

“It’s bedtime,” Bruce said, “Did you want to walk upstairs, or did you want me to carry you?”

“I want to walk,” Damian said, “but I know I won’t make it on my own.”

“Can you stand,” Bruce asked.

Damian stood up, cringing as the skin on the back of his legs stretched. “I guess I can.”

Alfred walked into the sitting room and stared at his charges, “Might I ask, what are you all doing still awake? Why are you out of your room, Master Damian?”

“I was saying goodbye to our guests, Alfred,” Damian said.

“We’re taking him back to bed,” Bruce said, “It’s time we all got some sleep, including you, Alfred. It’s all over. Now, we figure out how to move forward.”

Damian staggered over and hugged Alfred, “Thanks, Alfred. For everything.”

Alfred gave a slight hug in return, returning to butler mode, “It is my pleasure, Master Damian. I shall see you in the morning.”

Damian walked over to Jason and said, “I’m glad you recovered from your injuries, Todd.”

Jason reached out and ruffled Damian’s hair, “Let’s see if you can beat my recovery time.”

Damian rolled his eyes, “My injuries are worse than yours were.”

Jason smirked, “Making excuses already?”

Damian chuffed a silent laugh as he walked over to Tim. Before he could say anything, Tim said, “I’m going up to bed, too. I’ll go up with you. There is something I want to do once we’re up there.”

Damian nodded and turned, to find Bruce standing behind him. The large man swept the teen up in his arms and said, “You’ve put it off long enough. Bedtime, Kiddo.”

Damian wrapped his arms around Bruce’s neck and said, “I know. I can’t make it upstairs on my own.”

Bruce walked out of the sitting room and started climbing the stairs. Halfway up, Damian said softly, “I was hoping this would be how I got to bed.”

Upstairs, Bruce settled Damian into his bed, and the boy was quickly surrounded by his animals. Damian looked over at Tim, who had picked up the new phone from Damian’s desk, and asked, “Did you think to look in on Batcow while I was gone?”

Tim nodded as he sat down on the edge of the bed, “I did. I have no idea how to care for a cow, but I looked in on him. He looked okay, and Jason didn’t make burgers and steaks out of him.”

“We’ll have to figure out how to check on him tomorrow,” Damian said, “I don’t think I can make it all the way out to the stables and back just yet.”

“That’ll be your therapy goal,” Bruce said before looking at Tim, “What are you doing, Tim?”

“Setting up Damian’s new phone,” Tim said, tapping the screen of the new device, “This will just take a few minutes.”

Bruce nodded, then looked back at Damian. He felt incredibly satisfied to see his son, alive and mostly whole, laying safely in his bed. _This is where he belongs._ “Good night, Kiddo.”

“Good night, Father,” Damian said, unable to keep his eyes open.

_The Next Day…_

Tim yawned and stretched as he shuffled out of his room and headed downstairs for breakfast. He had missed Alfred’s cooking terribly. Jason’s cooking skills were limited to cold cereal and whatever he could shove in the microwave. Tim’s skills were a little bit better, but nowhere close to Alfred’s amazing feats of culinary masterwork.

Needless to say, it was a good thing that everyone who lived under the roof of Stately Wayne Manor was incredibly wealthy, because Tim and Jason had eaten out for nearly every meal over the last month.

However, thoughts of breakfast left Tim’s mind as he heard sounds coming from across the hall. It was still weird for Tim for others to be staying in the Manor, even if it was the people who were supposed to be here. They had been gone for long enough for Tim to get used to their absence.

Tim stuck his head in Damian’s partially opened bedroom door and found the teen sobbing into his pillow. Tim’s jaw dropped as he walked over to the bed and sat on the edge closest to the crying boy.

“What’s wrong, Damian,” Tim asked softly.

Damian flinched sharply at the surprise voice and wiped at his nose. He took a shuddering breath before gasping, “It hurts.”

“What hurts,” Tim asked in concern, “How can I help you?”

“My shoulder,” Damian said softly, “The doctors all told me it was going to hurt. I wasn’t expecting…this.”

“What does it feel like?”

“Like I’m on fire,” Damian whispered, “Maybe it’s just left over from my nightmare. I don’t know.”

_Uh-oh_ , Tim thought. “Nightmare?”

Damian nodded as he wiped at his face again before sitting up, with some pain in the movement. He couldn’t meet Tim’s eyes when he said, “I was Robin. I was fighting Two Face in the warehouse, the one where he destroyed my knee replacement.”

“Isn’t this the same dream you had right after that happened,” Tim asked, “When you spiked a fever and got the second knee replacement?”

“It was different, this time,” Damian said, “It started the same, though. We fought, and Two Face kicked me in the knee again, and knocked me down. Instead of Batman coming in, I felt something wet on my back. I looked up and found Two Face holding a can of lighter fluid. He said, ‘Congratulations, you’re me now,’ before setting me on fire. When I woke up, it felt like I was on fire. It hurt so much, Tim.”

Tim leaned forward and pulled Damian into a hug, careful to avoid the boy’s shoulders. “It was just a dream, Damian. The pain was probably a combination of things. I’m sure your nerves are still healing, and you’re adjusting to your new location. I know you toss and turn in your sleep. You probably rolled over your shoulder a couple times. I bet the graft is sensitive to touch. Plus, according to what Gina told me, we know what caused the fire. It was an accident, not an escaped villain traveling across the country to cause trouble. Two Face is still in Arkham, you don’t have to worry about that.”

Damian buried his face in Tim’s shoulder and tried to settle his mind. _It was a dream. It was only a dream. It scared the hell out of me, but it was only a dream. If it was only a dream, then why does my shoulder still hurt?_

“Does it still hurt,” Tim asked softly. Damian nodded, but stayed silent. “When is your next doctor’s appointment?”

Damian took a breath and whispered, “Dr. Thompkins is coming over again tomorrow.”

Tim took a nervous breath, “Have you considered making an appointment with Dinah?”

Damian nodded again, “I’ll call her after breakfast, now that my new phone works. Thank you for that.”

“Good,” Tim said, “Did you want to go downstairs for breakfast? I can help you.”

“Yes, I want to go to breakfast,” Damian said, “but do you honestly think Alfred will be happy if I show up at the table?”

“No, he won’t,” Bruce said from where he had been watching at the door.

Damian sighed, “Did you hear all of this, Father?”

Bruce walked over to the bed and said, “I heard enough. Your back in no way looks like Two Face. It’s gotten so much better. The doctors said you were going to be in pain for a while.”

“That was an understatement, Father,” Damian said.

“What _does_ your back look like,” Tim asked, “Can I see it?”

Damian sat back and shook his head in short arcs, “No. I…I’m not comfortable with that.”

“It’s not as bad as you’re thinking, son,” Bruce said, “We’re here for you. I’m sure breakfast will be up in a minute. You’ll feel better once you can start getting back to your routine.”

Damian gave a small nod, “I know, Father. I didn’t think all of this would be so hard, though.”

_It’s just starting, kiddo,_ Bruce thought. _It’s going to get harder before it gets easier. That’s the last thing I want to tell you, though._ Bruce looked somewhat uncomfortable as he said, “Um, speaking of meals, Selina is coming over for dinner tonight.”

Damian glared up at his father, who continued, “Now, before you start getting angry, I fully acknowledge that I did not give you our agreed-upon twenty-four hour notice before she comes over. I’m giving you a pass on dinner tonight; you don’t have to be around her. I’m sure Alfred will demand that you stay in here anyway. She would like the opportunity to say hi, though. She’s been pretty worried about you, whether you believe that or not.”

Damian didn’t believe it, at first. Then, he remembered the text messages that Bruce let him read in the hospital. He took a slow breath and said, “If she stays in the hall, she can come up for a greeting.”

Bruce gave a small nod, knowing that was a better concession than he was expecting, “Thank you, Damian. I’ll make sure she knows what she can and can’t do.”

“Do you want something to cheer you up before breakfast,” Tim asked with a knowing smile.

“Sure,” Damian said.

Tim picked up Damian’s phone from the bed and said, “After I spoke with you that first time, after you had your surgeries, but before you were supposed to be speaking, I wondered how I could help you.”

“Don’t take this wrong,” Damian said, “but I’m glad you didn’t come to Alaska. You hate hospitals, and you would have had nowhere else to go while you were there. I remember how you looked when we…when we were in Kentucky. I didn’t want you looking that way for me. I’m not upset with you for staying here, if you were thinking that.”

Tim smiled, “I wasn’t thinking that, but thanks anyway. I figured out a way to help out from here. I spoke with Gina, who was getting updates from her parents, and we went shopping. I knew you took your laptop with you, and I figured that, if you were calling on Bruce’s phone, that meant you didn’t have your phone. You needed a new phone and laptop, so Gina and I went shopping. We didn’t get one, though. We got two. You and Robin now have matching phones and laptops.”

“Thanks for doing that,” Damian said, “That was nice of you. Did you actually go to a store and shop for those, or did you just go to the supply at the Tower and take your pick?”

Tim rolled his eyes, “I actually bought them. You can play around with it later, but keep your phone with you all day today.”

“Why,” Damian asked.

“Because Gina is activating Robin’s phone this morning,” Tim said with a smile, “and I can guarantee that you will be her first call, once she can make calls again.”

Damian gave his first true smile of the day, and said, “That does cheer me up. I think I’ll wait on calling Dinah until after I talk to Robin.”

Bruce squeezed Tim’s shoulder, and said, “Talking to Robin helps you out just a much as talking to Dinah. It sounds like a good plan, Kiddo.”

Damian looked up and said, “This will be strange, talking to Robin on the phone. This will be the first time we have spoken over the phone while being in the same time zone in over two years. We won’t have to work out schedules just to be able to have a conversation.”

Bruce smiled and said, “Before you ask, it will be a couple days before you two will be able to see each other again. Mike and I both agree that you two need some time to figure out how your bodies are healing on your own.”

Damian nodded as Alfred walked into the room with a tray in his hands. He set the tray over Damian’s legs and said, “Good morning, everyone. Master Damian, I hope you are planning on staying in bed today.”

“Dr. Thompkins said I could start exercising today,” Damian said, “but, given how I felt when I woke up, I think I’m staying here for a long time.”

“Can I get you anything, Master Damian,” Alfred asked.

Damian looked up at the butler, “Yes, I just don’t know what will help. My shoulder still feels like it is on fire.”

Alfred nodded, “I was thinking about that, and I think I have something that might help. Lotion with Aloe Vera should help the outer skin to heal and stay flexible and smooth. Perhaps that will help in relieving some of the pain. It should also be somewhat cooling.”

Damian thought for a second, then nodded, “Okay, but only if I can get that on my legs, too. It still hurts to sit. Walking wasn’t too good yesterday, either, with the bending and flexing.”

Alfred smiled, “I believe that can be arranged. Master Bruce, Master Timothy, your breakfasts await you downstairs. I shall return shortly with the lotion, Master Damian. Please, eat your breakfast.”

The three men headed for the door, but stopped when Damian gasped deeply. Bruce whipped around with a worried look on his face, and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Damian was smiling brightly as he held up his phone, which was showing the picture of Robin that served as his caller ID notification when the girl called. “Gina does fast work.” Damian answered the call, ignoring the rest of the room as he said, “Good morning. How is my Beautiful future wife?”

Bruce, Tim, and Alfred left the room, all of them sending each other silent looks of appreciation at how their agitated youngest could be calmed so much by a simple phone call. The last sight of Damian before the men left the room found the teen with the calmest, most content look to cross Damian’s face in weeks.

**A/N: Well, I was right. Damian and Robin definitely had a hot night. It was so hot that it burned down the house. I’m pretty sure that I was also right in my claim that none of your guesses about where this story was going were right. Like I said, big changes are coming. The first big change, of course, is how Damian is going to deal with a lingering injury. Believe me, this will be mentioned again numerous times throughout the rest of my timeline. The second change is the inevitable one. From the second I decided to keep Robin Abbey as a character in my universe, it was a foregone conclusion that she and Damian would get married…eventually. Yes, they’re young, and things are happening fast, but they made a promise to not get married until Damian is eighteen, so this was just a half-step, like the story said.**

**You’ll notice that there are very few Selina mentions in this story. That’s because I started writing this long before I decided to bring Selina in as a character in my stories. The ones that are here were added within the last day or so of writing this. I like that Word allows you to see when a file was created. I started writing this story on June 25, 2019. Like I said in the last note, it’s been a long time coming.**

**Next on the timeline is Final Exam, which is completed and ready to post. So is the story after that one, Never Alone. However, the next one coming out will be the final chapter of Houses. I’ve left that one unfinished for too long. I just want to get it done.**

**Please let me know what you think, and where you think my timeline is going, now that these changes are out there. I enjoy your guesses, and they can possibly influence future works. Please leave a comment. That is the only way I know if people are enjoying where my timeline is going, and if people still want to read what I’m putting out.**

**Thanks for playing along.**


End file.
